The Price of Victory
by Inion Lugh
Summary: Meleina is the twin sister of Raditz and best friend of Socha, the older sister of Prince Vegeta. Can the two girls survive the loss of everything and come out strong?
1. Disclaimer

I just recently found out that FUNimation is putting out a new DragonBall Z video called The Price of Victory! While I'm pleased and shocked, I'm also a bit angered, because I've got to put out a disclaimer now saying that I'm not copying them. Nope, I'm not. THEY'RE copying me. Well, they would be if they knew what my story was. Anyhow. I had this story up long before I found out about the video. So woo. I didn't steal. They did. Go me. 


	2. Prologue Birth

Disclaimer: I do not own DBZ and am in no way affiliated to FUNimation. Also, I'm not making any money off of this fic, it's all just for my own pleasure  
  
Author's note: Yeah, so this is incredibly short right now. Just wait, it gets longer. The character Socha is created by my friend Astiome Debrator (go read her stuff, it rules!). Astiome also creates the tale of the Saiyan with the dragon's tail. (Again- go read her stuff! Besides, if you read her stuff, you'll also get a little hint into the character of Socha and learn more about her. Trust me, you WANT to read her stuff!)  
  
It was four in the morning when the twin babies were finally born. Their father held the young daughter close, their mother held the son. Bardock gazed down into his daughter's eyes and smiled at her. "Meleina's going to be a tough little girl, yes indeed." The mother shook her head. "Raditz will be far stronger. He'll be the honor of the family. He is the oldest, it's his right." Bardock smiled faintly at his daughter then tickled her under the chin. She giggled and grabbed at his fingers, and his smile broadened. The door to Recovery burst open, and Bardock's childhood friend Taura raced in. He saw the tiny Meleina in Bardock's arms and smiled.  
  
"She's beautiful, Bardock. You must feel awfully lucky."  
  
Bardock nodded, his eyes still locked on the curiously intelligent eyes of Meleina. "Raditz is with his mother right now, you can see him if you like."  
  
Taura took a moment to say hello to Raditz and his mother, who looked exhausted, before leaving the family alone. Bardock touched Meleina's nose lightly. "You'll be the strong one of our family, I know it." She giggled again, then tried to grab his nose and wound up punching him. "There, little one, you see? You're already starting down the path of greatness and strength." He rubbed his nose. "For a baby, you've got quite a fist."  
  
She giggled at him, then rested her head in the crook of his arms and fell into a deep slumber.  
  
Across the galaxy, another young Saiyan was being born. She was Socha, the daughter of King Vegeta. The king was none to pleased to see that his first child was a girl, and almost ordered the nurses to kill her, but then he saw the tail.  
  
"Well, well. You might be strong after all," he said, stroking the scaly green dragon's tail his daughter possessed. He looked at the nurses. "It is said that every once in a while in the royal line pops up a trait that is unlike any other Saiyan trait: a dragon's tail. The child who possesses it will be incredibly strong and do great feats. We shall see, little one. We shall see." 


	3. A Lesson in Loss, Friendship, and Reveng...

Disclaimer: Don't own DBZ or any of the DBZ characters, and am in no way associated with FUNimation.  
  
Author's Note: This one's bit longer, but I'm definitely not done yet. There's still more to come!  
  
  
  
Ten years later  
  
The chamber was dark- pitch black, except for the small energy blasts twins Meleina and Raditz threw at each other. They were fighting for the recognition of Frieza, the leader all Saiyans answered to. He had hosted a fighting tournament for the low-levels, wanting to judge the strength of these Saiyans. There were three rounds left in the tournament, and Meleina was confident that if she beat her brother she would make the finals. And, she knew, judging from the other low levels, she would most likely end up fighting Bardock, her father. That was a fight she knew she would lose. Her power was nowhere near as strong as her father's was- yet. But a loss would still place her as second strongest low-level, and the strongest low- level child.  
  
Raditz lunged suddenly at her. She vanished, then reappeared behind him, punching him hard in the back. He stumbled, and Meleina hit him again. He fell, and she paused to let him regain his footing. He tried to punch her, but she easily caught his hand in hers and twisted his arm. Time to show off, she thought, then fired several energy blasts, knocking her brother unconscious. The lights returned and she blinked in the fierce light. Several medical officers came to take Raditz to Recovery. Meleina stepped out of the chamber and lightly tossed her head, her waist-length hair flowing down her back. In the observation room, Frieza, his henchmen, and many of the low-level Saiyans stared at her. She saw her father and made her way to him, ignoring everyone else. Bardock smiled at her icily, but she noticed a tinge of pride in his voice when he said, "That's my daughter."  
  
"And wasn't it your son who was beaten?" Zarbon asked in his calm voice.  
  
Bardock turned slightly. "Obviously, he is the weaker of the two."  
  
"Obviously," Meleina growled, climbing onto the ledge so she could watch the following fight.  
  
It felt to the young Saiyan forever before her father was called for his fight. She bounced with her childlike energy and grinned at her father's friends.  
  
"Dad's gonna win," Meleina remarked, leaning closer to the window.  
  
"He sure is," Taura agreed, putting a hand on her back. "Be careful, you don't want to fall," he warned. She smiled warmly at him.  
  
"Don't worry, I won't." A loud yell drew her attention back to the chamber, and she smiled to see her dad beating his opponent into the wall. "Go Dad!" she said loudly, drawing a slight chuckle from the Saiyans. She was brave enough to cast a glance in Frieza's direction, and quickly turned away when he noticed her. She watched the fight for a few seconds, then turned again to Frieza. He looked at her, but instead of turning away this time, she met his gaze and held it for several seconds before acknowledging him with a brief nod before quickly returning her gaze to the chamber. The medical officers were dragging her father's opponent out.  
  
"Hey, what'd I miss?" she pouted.  
  
"Bardock won," Taura replied.  
  
"I figured that much." She grinned. "Yay, I get to fight my dad."  
  
"I don't see why you're so excited," Taura said. "You should be scared. I would be."  
  
"That's because I'm strong." Taura dug his fingers into her back, causing her to yelp loudly.  
  
"Quiet!" Frieza hissed. He glared at Meleina. "Go, fight your father."  
  
"Y-yes sir," she squeaked, halfway between scared and pleased that Frieza had spoken to her. She ran into the chamber and smiled broadly at Bardock.  
  
"Oh, he's making you fight? Hardly worth it," Bardock sneered. Meleina glared at him. "You might as well give up before you even bother starting, kid."  
  
"Yeah, right, Bardock," she growled, bending into a crouch.  
  
"I'm terrified," her father said with a cold chuckle. Meleina lunged at his legs, then quickly realized her mistake. Her height was her disadvantage; she could never hope to attack him and have it make any difference. She should have let him make the first move. Bardock allowed her to grab his legs, but he brought a hand down on her head. She staggered, dizzy from the blow, unprepared for the rest of the punches her father threw. She managed to shield her head, but quickly lost the battle as Bardock threw punch after punch. Finally, he threw her to the floor. She lay there, gasping for breath, pain filling her, knowing her mistake had cost her the match. She felt the hands of the medical officers pulling her to her feet to drag her out, but she hit them away. If she was going to lose, she was going to leave her own way. She followed the medical officers to recovery but refused a tank. "I'll heal myself," she growled.  
  
"I don't think-" The medical officer broke off as the door opened and one of Frieza's top henchmen, Zarbon, stepped through. He gazed down at Meleina.  
  
"Lord Frieza wants to see you." Meleina's heart skipped a beat- though whether from fear or joy she didn't know- but she forced herself to remain calm.  
  
"Why?" she asked in a cool tone.  
  
"It is not your place to question Lord Frieza's orders," Zarbon replied.  
  
"Fine, I'll be there in a few minutes. I want to see my brother first."  
  
"Lord Frieza wants to see you now."  
  
"And I want-"  
  
"I wouldn't question Frieza," Bardock growled, walking in the room. "Your brother will be fine." Meleina glared at him. "One moment please," Bardock said to Zarbon. He bent down next to Meleina. "I know you're worried about your brother, but he'll be fine. You, on the other hand, won't be if you decide to make Frieza follow your schedule. He runs things his own way, and he will not be patient with a Saiyan- especially not a low- level child." Meleina gritted her teeth at the words "low-level child." Those were the words she hated hearing most. She knew she was strong- stronger than most of the elite children, but she needed a chance to prove it. Bardock smiled knowingly and patted her on the head. "Don't worry, your time will come, child." Meleina smiled faintly.  
  
I'm still not going to let that lizard-like freak tell me exactly what to do, she thought darkly. "Fine. Tell Raditz I'll see him when I'm done." She didn't wait for Bardock to reply; instead, she turned to Zarbon. "I'm afraid I'm feeling rather weak from my last fight." Bardock stiffened slightly, as if afraid he'd truly hurt his child. "I'm not sure I'm up to walking all the way-"  
  
"What are you saying?" Zarbon demanded testily.  
  
"Oh.well.you could carry me."  
  
"Out of the question."  
  
"Or you could tell Frieza to wait until I've completely healed, or tell him to come to me so I don't collapse." Zarbon gave her a cold look.  
  
"Are you stupid or merely insane?" he demanded. "Frieza does what he pleases, he does not take orders from a low-level child."  
  
"Well, then I'm afraid you're going to have to carry me."  
  
Zarbon glared at her. He almost said no, but then realized he would rather not face Frieza's wrath if the child fainted. He picked up the girl and glared down at her head, and saw in the reflection on one of the tanks that Meleina had winked at her father.  
  
He carried her to Frieza, then set her down roughly. She smiled sweetly at him, but he knew that her smile was falsely innocent. She strode forward broadly, showing very little sign of physical weakness, and bowed to Frieza. "My Lord."  
  
Zarbon took his place next to Frieza, on the opposite side of Dodoria.  
  
"You kept Lord Frieza waiting," Dodoria snapped.  
  
"Perhaps if Lord Frieza had allowed a little more time for my strength to return I would not have kept him waiting."  
  
"You-" Dodoria began, enraged that a low-level child had dared to speak to him like this.  
  
"Enough," Frieza said calmly. He looked at Meleina, and the child stared him straight in the eye. "You're rather fearless, child."  
  
Meleina smiled coldly. "Isn't that the way a warrior is supposed to be?"  
  
"You have quite the mouth," Dodoria snarled.  
  
Meleina shrugged. "Blame those who raised me."  
  
"Silence, Dodoria, the child makes a good point. Tell me, what is your name?"  
  
"Meleina."  
  
"And you are the child of low-levels." It was more a statement than a question, and Meleina fought to keep the frown off her face.  
  
"Yes."  
  
"Curious. Most curious. I have never seen a low-level with power like yours."  
  
Meleina felt as if ice had settled in her stomach. "Thank you, sir." Zarbon and Dodoria noticed her cautious tone and exchanged smiles.  
  
"I could use a good warrior like you," Frieza said slowly.  
  
"But she's just a kid!" Dodoria protested.  
  
"Indeed." Frieza studied Meleina. "Perhaps when you are older."  
  
"I'm ready now," Meleina snapped.  
  
"Good. That is precisely what I wanted to hear. Zarbon, give the child a mission."  
  
"Lord Frieza, you can't be serious."  
  
"I am, Zarbon. Give her a mission- no, wait. Perhaps you are right. Since you believe her to be weak, take her on your next mission. I'm sure you won't fail to teach her something new."  
  
Zarbon glared down at Meleina. "Sire, I'm not going on any missions for the next week-"  
  
"She can wait a week."  
  
Meleina smiled at Zarbon. "There's no getting out of this, is there, Zarbon?" He scowled in reply.  
  
~*~  
  
Meleina raced down to Recovery and burst in just as Raditz finished dressing. "Hey, you woke up!"  
  
Her brother glared at her. "I can't believe you beat me up."  
  
"That was the point, wasn't it?"  
  
"The point was to let me win. The males need honor more than you females do; you're just here to make babies. Now everybody's going to laugh because I was beaten by a girl- and my own little sister!"  
  
Meleina gave him a dirty look. "Well fine, if that's the way you feel."  
  
"It is."  
  
The twins glared at each other until the door opened and Bardock stepped in.  
  
"Oh, good, you're awake." He smiled. "You put up a good fight-"  
  
"But I'm no match for your favorite kid," Raditz growled.  
  
Bardock shrugged. "You said it, not me."  
  
Raditz snarled and stormed out of Recovery.  
  
"What's his problem?" Meleina asked.  
  
"He's just sore about losing to you." Bardock scooped his daughter into his arms. "So, I heard the good news."  
  
"What good news?"  
  
"That you're going to be traveling with Zarbon."  
  
Meleina smiled mischievously. "You call that good?"  
  
He smirked. "Behave yourself. C'mon, what'd you say we celebrate?"  
  
"Yeah!"  
  
"How about.mmm.some sweets?"  
  
Meleina's eyes widened. "But.those are expensive!"  
  
"You deserve expensive today."  
  
"Well, okay then!" She knew how rare it was for low-level Saiyans to eat sweets. They were extremely expensive, and low-levels rarely had enough money for them. She had never eaten them before, but a few of her friends said sweets were the most delicious things in the universe.  
  
Bardock bought her five pieces and spent most of the money he possessed. She popped the first piece in her mouth and gasped.  
  
"Wow!" she blurted. Bardock smiled, and Meleina offered him a piece.  
  
"Oh, no, that's for you. You won it."  
  
"You beat me, you deserve a piece!"  
  
"Well.if you insist."  
  
Meleina looked down at the three remaining pieces in her hand, then gave one to her father and ate one herself. She calmly pocketed the final piece, and Bardock looked blank.  
  
"Saving it for later?"  
  
"No, I'm going to give it to Raditz."  
  
"He won't be too happy that you got sweets."  
  
"Oh well."  
  
~*~  
  
As Bardock had predicted, Raditz was not at all happy, but he accepted her gift. As Meleina settled down to sleep, her father's words flitted through her mind. "I heard the good news." Meleina smiled as she fell asleep. She, a low-level child, was going on an elite mission.  
  
~*~  
  
It was the dead of night. All beings aboard Frieza's vessel slept- all, that is, except for Raditz. He was brooding over the day's events late into the night.  
  
How dare she beat me so ruthlessly. How dare she try to make it better by giving me sweets? Raditz growled angrily and clenched his fist. Now she was going on a mission with the elites.Raditz curled his lip. She didn't deserve it. He was the one who should go. He was the better fighter.  
  
Inspiration struck him and he smiled coldly. Yes, he knew how to ensure that she wouldn't go.  
  
He crept into her room quietly and slowly pulled the covers away from her body. He brought up the knife he had hidden and calmly sliced off her tail. She jerked in her sleep, but didn't wake. Raditz chuckled. He couldn't wait to see her face when she realized her tail was gone- and without it, she would never be able to beat him up. Raditz grinned.  
  
~*~  
  
The next morning, half of Frieza's ship awoke to a bloodcurdling scream. Raditz blinked tiredly before remembering the night before. He chuckled and raced quickly toward Meleina's room, where a large crowd had already gathered. He shoved his way through the people and saw Bardock, staring at Meleina in shock. She was ranting around her already demolished room- with the barest stub of a tail. Several Saiyans were murmuring about her significantly lowered energy level, while others could only stare. Raditz forced his face into a blank look, then asked his father's friend Taura, "What happened?"  
  
"Somebody cut off her tail," Taura whispered back.  
  
"Gee, that's terrible!"  
  
"Everybody's thinking Zarbon did it, because she's supposed to go with him on his next mission."  
  
Raditz watched with pleasure as his sister finally calmed down and sat on the edge of her bed in tears. He strode in as Bardock walked out, his face an icy mask, without speaking to Meleina. Upon seeing Bardock leave, the other Saiyans followed.  
  
Meleina looked up into Raditz's eyes and sighed. "I feel so sick," she muttered to him, her voice filled with hopelessness. Raditz nodded for her to continue. "It.it's weird. Everybody says that when you lose your tail, you feel really weak. You are really weak. Even Father thinks I'm weak now." She turned. "But I don't feel weak, Raditz. I feel.I feel stronger than I was before."  
  
"How is that possible?"  
  
"Because I'm filled with hate, Raditz. I hate the fool who did this to me."  
  
"Zarbon?"  
  
She looked at him, surprised. "It's not his style. No, this was the work of a jealous low-level." She looked at the floor. "Hey, looks like the culprit left something behind." She bent over to pick it up and Raditz's heart froze. It was the sweet she had given him! "Hey." She frowned, then suddenly her eyes lit up with comprehension. "You did it!"  
  
No point denying it, Raditz thought. "Yes, it was me. You weren't supposed to win that battle, little sister, but you did. Well, now you can't beat me. And I'll warn you now: if your tail grows back, I'll cut it off again."  
  
Meleina snarled and lunged at him. "You're going to pay!" she roared. She punched him in the stomach, in the face, pounded his back until he was unconscious. Meleina drew in a deep breath, rage still filling her.  
  
"For a low-level without a tail, you certainly are strong." Meleina spun, raising her arms in preparation for another fight. "I'm not gonna attack you," the newcomer said, surprised.  
  
"Who are you?" Meleina demanded, taking in the other young girl's bright robes and tall stance. She also noted that there was something that bothered her about the girl's appearance, but she couldn't quite place it.  
  
"My name's Socha."  
  
"Why does that sound familiar?" Meleina asked aloud. Socha didn't answer, and Meleina grew even angrier. "Get out of here, can't you see I'm upset? I just lost my tail, for crying out loud!" Meleina threw a pillow at Socha, but in her anger she missed and hit Raditz. He awoke and staggered from the room, clutching his stomach.  
  
"Did he do it?" Socha asked.  
  
Meleina gave her a dirty look. "Yeah, he did, okay?"  
  
"Isn't he your brother?"  
  
"Yeah, he is," she replied angrily.  
  
"I hope if I ever have a brother that he's not so selfish and mean!"  
  
Meleina spun around and raised her fist to Socha. "Don't you dare talk about my brother that way." Socha looked surprised and backed up a step. "I'm the only one who's allowed to do that, got it?"  
  
"Sorry, I didn't mean anything by it, but it was a mean thing, to cut off your tail."  
  
Meleina's blood began to boil at the thought of what Raditz did. She was about to scream when Dodoria towered in the doorway.  
  
"There you are, you little brat!" he snorted at Socha. "King Vegeta doesn't want his daughter running around the ship alone with so many low- level Saiyans here." Meleina's jaw dropped.  
  
Socha's friendly expression quickly changed to a sneer. "So, Dodoria, I guess you were the only one my father could sucker into babysitting me?" He spit at the comment. "Bye, Meleina," Socha said shortly.  
  
Meleina stood there watching Socha being hauled off by Dodoria, still shocked to realize that the princess of all Saiyans had been talking to her.  
  
~*~  
  
That night, when she knew no one was around, Meleina sobbed into her pillow. She had never faced so great a disappointment- she had been going on an elite mission, and suddenly she knew that was going to be taken away from her with the loss of her tail. A note dropped onto her head. By the time she reacted, the person who had dropped it was gone. She sniffed, then opened the letter.  
  
It read:  
  
Sorry I had to leave so abruptly, and sorry about your tail. If you want to get back at Raditz, I'm up for some fun. Meet me in the lower deck at 5:00 am.  
  
-Socha  
  
The letter had the royal seal in the upper right corner.  
  
Meleina stared at the letter, unable to sleep. Was this another way for Raditz to get revenge on her? Was he trying to get her in trouble? She managed to convince herself that the letter had to be from the true Saiyan Princess, or else Dodoria wouldn't have been involved.  
  
~*~  
  
5:00 am rolled around. Meleina waited in the lower deck. I'm such a fool! There's nobody coming, she thought. Just then a voice came from behind her. "Sorry I'm late. Dodoria was harder to ditch than most of the babysitters my father gets!"  
  
Meleina stared. "You're really the princess?"  
  
Socha grinned sheepishly. "Yep."  
  
"Wow."  
  
"You and your brother go back to Vegeta tomorrow, right?" Socha asked.  
  
"Yeah."  
  
"Well, then we'll have to act quick. What do you say?"  
  
"I say you lure him into the battle arena and I'll beat him up!"  
  
Socha raised an eyebrow at her. "How about we trick him instead?"  
  
"Have it your way," Meleina snapped.  
  
Socha ignored her. "I have a really great plan." She leaned close and whispered in Meleina's ear.  
  
"That's an awesome idea!" she said with a laugh.  
  
Socha smiled. "Shall we?"  
  
"Definitely!" Meleina grinned, and Socha laughed broadly, spreading her hands out. In that second, Meleina suddenly caught sight of what had bothered her about Socha earlier: the tail! "Hey, what's wrong with your tail?" she demanded, her eyes widening. Socha's tail was thicker than a normal Saiyan tail, and instead of the hairy brown one Meleina had expected, Socha's tail was green, hard, and scaly.  
  
Socha blinked in surprise, then shrugged. "It's always been like that." She uncurled it from around her waist. "Cool, huh?"  
  
Meleina raised an eyebrow. "If you say so. Can you still transform at the full moon?"  
  
"Yeah, but I don't change into an Oozaru, I change into a dragon. See, I've got a special tail. Dad says that tails like this pop up in the royal family every once in a while, but it's really rare. According to his servants, the last royal Saiyan to have a tail like this lived about a thousand years ago. Dad would have had me killed, but my tail stopped him. It's supposed to make me more powerful, or something like that."  
  
"Why would he have killed you?"  
  
Socha met her gaze bravely. "I was sent to a planet called Loki, and I refused to kill the people there."  
  
"You're really weird," Meleina remarked, shaking her head in mild disgust. Why would somebody not want to kill? "Not, of course, that I'm complaining. I mean," she waved her own tail slightly, "I'm weird now, too."  
  
Socha smiled broadly. "We can be two best friend weirdoes!"  
  
~*~  
  
Meleina and Socha were walking down the hall together, talking in hushed voices when they passed by Raditz. Unlike Meleina, Raditz instantly recognized the Saiyan Princess and gasped. "Meleina, you can't talk to her, you'll get in so much trouble!"  
  
Meleina and Socha stopped walking and looked around them. "Raditz?" Meleina asked, confusion filling her voice. "Where are you?"  
  
He poked her shoulder. "I'm right in front of you, stupid."  
  
She put a hand to her shoulder and her eyes widened. "No you're not, I can't see you!"  
  
Socha looked around wildly. "Meleina, what's going on here?"  
  
"I.I don't know!" The girls exchanged terrified looks. "I can hear my brother, but I can't see him!"  
  
Raditz jumped up and down in front of the girls. "I'm right here, right in front of you!" he bellowed.  
  
"No you're not!" Socha said loudly.  
  
"You're looking right at me."  
  
"If I'm looking right at you, how come I can't see you?"  
  
"Raditz, cut it out, this isn't funny," Meleina snapped. Raditz saw the look of terror in her eyes and suddenly seemed to realize that the girls were sincere. He waved a hand in front of his sister's face, but she didn't so much as blink. He stepped around behind her and shoved her as hard as he could. "Ow! Socha, why'd you push me?"  
  
"I didn't touch you!"  
  
Raditz laughed, and Meleina looked around. "Oh, this is so weird," she whined.  
  
Raditz punched her back between the shoulders and she staggered. "Raditz, stop it!" she whimpered, close to tears. "It isn't funny, you're scaring me!"  
  
Socha raised her arms and circled madly, trying to find Raditz. "Jeez, Meleina, your brother is really weird!" Raditz glared at her, then kicked her in the stomach. The Princess doubled over in pain, and Raditz started to laugh.  
  
I can do whatever I want and nobody will ever know it's me! He thought happily. He kicked Meleina once more before running down the hall.  
  
The second he was out of sight, Meleina and Socha grinned at each other. "He has no idea we fooled him!" Meleina giggled.  
  
"Yeah, I know!" Socha agreed. "That was fun! Well, except when he kicked me."  
  
"He didn't kick you too hard, did he?"  
  
"No, it didn't hurt very much. It looked like he hit you pretty hard, though."  
  
"I've had worse. Raditz has always been really weak." Meleina smiled viscously. "I wonder what kind of trouble he'll get into thinking he's invisible."  
  
Socha laughed at the thought, and pretty soon bother girls were doubled over with giggles.  
  
"I should think that the both of you would be wise not to stand in the middle of the hallway laughing." The girls looked up at Zarbon, who towered above them. "In fact, I might recommend that you two stay completely away from each other. After all, low-levels aren't allowed to fraternize with elites."  
  
"Then how come you're talking to me?" Meleina asked with mock-innocence. Socha gave her a look of surprise, but Zarbon glared at her.  
  
"Lord Frieza wants to speak with you."  
  
Meleina felt brave enough from her joke on Raditz to say shortly, "He'd better not be telling me that I can't go with you anymore."  
  
Zarbon smiled coldly. "I hope you tell him your sentiments exactly as you told me. I'd be more than happy to watch him kill you."  
  
Meleina winked at Socha. "I just might do that. Tell him how I feel, that is."  
  
"You welcome death," Zarbon told her plainly.  
  
~*~  
  
Meleina bowed shortly to Frieza. "My Lord, you wished to see me?"  
  
"Recent.events.have led me to cancel your trip with Zarbon."  
  
The elite smiled. "My Lord, I'm very pleased to hear this news."  
  
"I'm not," Meleina growled. "I can fight well enough without my tail."  
  
Frieza turned to her. "I have already spoken with Saiyan leaders. I know you cannot hope to fight with even half your usual energy."  
  
Meleina shook her head. "You should have seen me this morning, sir."  
  
"I have already heard."  
  
"Lord Frieza, I want to go on this mission. I will not fail you or Zarbon. I know I can keep up with him, and that I won't drag this mission down. I'm ready now. I don't want to wait for my tail to grow back." There was a moment of silence, and she continued, "Sir, you called us here to fight for you, to discover the best. I am one of the best you have. Give me a chance to prove myself." She hesitated. "I'll make a deal with you. If I succeed in my mission, I'll take every other one you give me. If I fail, I'll be at your mercy." She raised an eyebrow. "Either way, you win."  
  
Frieza contemplated her proposal for a moment, then nodded calmly. "When she fails, Zarbon, be certain to return her at her fullest energy. I want to have fun."  
  
"I won't fail," Meleina said calmly. "I will never fail you."  
  
"We shall see." Frieza turned away.  
  
"Thank you, Lord Frieza," Meleina said softly. She turned and strode out.  
  
On the way back to her room, she passed by her father's friend Taura. He glanced down at her, then quickly looked away, as if embarrassed to be caught staring. "What, Taura, afraid to look at me?" She smirked. "I lost my tail, not my life." She met his gaze. "And you can tell my father that. Oh, and tell him my mission is still on."  
  
~*~  
  
Meleina had finished packing the few belongings she had brought with her when Socha came into the room.  
  
"I can't believe you're still going with Zarbon," the Princess said.  
  
Meleina shrugged. "I won the privilege, didn't I?"  
  
"Well.yes, but."  
  
"But what?" Meleina asked sharply.  
  
"You'll be killing an awful lot of people."  
  
"So?" Meleina looked at Socha and shook her head. "You don't understand at all, do you? We're not like you, Princess. Us low-levels, we gotta fight to get any kind of recognition. And if killing people means that we get what we deserve, then fine. We'll kill people." Socha looked shocked.  
  
"How can you say that? These are people we're talking about! Living, breathing, thinking beings!"  
  
Meleina turned away. "I need this, Socha. This is my one shot, and I'm not going to let it pass me by."  
  
"I.I.uh, I hate to interrupt." The girls turned to see Bardock standing in the doorway. He looked exhausted and embarrassed at the same time. "I was wondering if I could talk to Meleina."  
  
"Sure," Socha chirruped happily, shooting a glare at Meleina.  
  
"No," Meleina growled, turning her back to him. Socha raised an eyebrow, then gave a slight nod and left.  
  
Bardock came in the room and sat down on the bed. "It's been fun, hasn't it? Staying here with the elites."  
  
"If you say so."  
  
There was a moment of awkward silence, then Bardock sighed. "I'm sorry for the way I acted this morning, Meleina. I.I had really wanted you to go on your mission. It wasn't just the chance for you; it was the chance for all of us. The low-levels as a whole. Do you understand what I'm saying?"  
  
"Yeah, I know what you're saying. You're say that you wanted to use me to get you more honor."  
  
"Well.yes." He put his hands on her shoulders and tried to turn her to face him, but she stood frozen. "Meleina, I really care about you, but it's time the low-levels earned some respect. We deserve it. We put up with so much.and I was so disappointed when you lost your tail. I was certain you weren't going to be able to go on your trip anymore."  
  
"Oh, good, you talked to Taura."  
  
Bardock pulled his daughter into a hug. "I'm sorry, Meleina. I truly am. But.you still have your chance." She turned to look up at him.  
  
"Dad.do you know why Frieza let me go on this mission?" Bardock shook his head. "I.I made a deal with him. Either way, he wins. If I succeed.if he thinks I've succeeded.I live my life to serve him. If I fail."  
  
Bardock took a deep breath. "If you fail, he kills you," he said flatly.  
  
"Yes. Dad, I had to do it. I need this chance. I have to prove that I'm one of his best fighters." Bardock knelt down beside her, and she wrapped her arms around his neck. "Dad.I.I." She flushed, and he smiled.  
  
"I know, Meleina. I.love you too."  
  
Bardock met his daughter's gaze and both smiled. "C'mon, Mel, you need to get back home."  
  
She looked up at him, disappointed. "You're not coming?"  
  
He ruffled her hair. "Not yet. I've got some stuff to do."  
  
"Can I say goodbye to Socha before I go?"  
  
Bardock stiffened slightly. "To who?"  
  
"Socha! She's my new best friend. She's the princess," Meleina added shyly.  
  
Bardock gripped her shoulder. "Don't let that get out, Meleina. Don't let that get out at all, or you'll be dead before you know what hits you."  
  
Meleina smiled. "I know, Dad. You didn't raise any fools. Well, you did, but I'm not the fool."  
  
He chuckled. "Right, Mel. I'll leave you and your friend alone."  
  
Socha came back in shyly and smiled faintly. "I'm sorry I got mad."  
  
"Me too," Meleina said.  
  
"Look.I don't exactly have a lot of friends here.and I don't want you to go away and leave me alone forever. You're the best friend I've ever had."  
  
"I promised Frieza," Meleina pointed out. "I kind of have to go."  
  
"I know." Socha grinned.  
  
"Wait a minute, I know that look. You got that look on your face when you suggested we make Raditz think he was invisible."  
  
"Yeah, well, I got a good plan now, too. You're going to love this. I'm going to sneak onto Zarbon's transport and go with you!"  
  
Meleina stared. "And I thought I was bravely stupid!" She grinned. "That would be so much fun, me and you fighting side by side."  
  
"I said I was going with. I never said I was going to fight." Socha's voice had grown surprisingly cold.  
  
"Oh, okay then.you don't have to fight. This is still going to be fun."  
  
~*~  
  
The week on Planet Vegeta crawled by slowly. To Meleina, it seemed that each morning came too slowly and each night even slower. She spent evenings staring up at the sky, wondering which star she would be traveling to. Finally, on her last day, she got a surprise. She was out in the front yard with several of the children from the area, playing with a few toys by herself. The others had positioned themselves as far away from her as possible when they realized she had lost most of her tail. She glanced up from the toys and saw a tall figure standing just outside the gate to her yard. "Dad!" she yelled, jumping up. He swung her up into his arms and hugged her.  
  
"What, you didn't think I was really going to let you go off without saying goodbye, did you?"  
  
"Yeah," she admitted, then laughed. "C'mon, Dad, let's go inside! I'll bet Mom's gonna be so happy to see you too!"  
  
Bardock chuckled at her enthusiasm. "I'm not here for very long, Mel. I have to leave in about one minute, but I wanted to wish you luck. Not," he added, "That you need it." She smiled.  
  
"I'll do just fine, Dad. Believe me."  
  
"I know you will, Meleina. Make me proud."  
  
She smiled, then hugged him again. "'Bye, Dad."  
  
"Later, kid," he said with a wink, then set her down and took off.  
  
She smiled again and waved until he was out of sight.  
  
~*~  
  
She was still overjoyed from Bardock's visit the next morning when she awoke. And to add to her excitement, it was finally the day she would leave with Zarbon. She went with her mother to meet him, and raced quickly aboard his transport.  
  
"Wow, Zarbon, this ship is huge! It's way bigger than a Space Pod!"  
  
Zarbon shook his head and sighed. As annoying as she was, one couldn't help but being touched by her enthusiasm. "That's because your Space Pods are built for one person. I should have made you take one so I could have some peace."  
  
"Don't worry, I'll leave you alone. You won't be bothered by-" A loud bang interrupted her sentence.  
  
"What the.?" Zarbon said aloud. Suddenly, and young Saiyan boy strode in, wearing some of Zarbon's clothes (which were way too big for him). Raditz laughed, then danced around.  
  
"I'm invisible, I'm invisible, I'm invisible," he chortled. Meleina's jaw dropped in horror, but Zarbon looked furious.  
  
"What do you mean you're invisible?" he demanded. "You're standing right in front of me!"  
  
Raditz froze. "You can see me?"  
  
"Of course I can see you! Now take off my clothes!"  
  
Raditz looked to Meleina, who was frozen in her spot. "You can see me too?" She nodded slowly, still looking horrified. "I'm.not.invisible?"  
  
"No, you're not invisible!"  
  
Raditz uttered a slight groan and sank heavily to the ground. "I don't feel too good."  
  
"You're going to feel even worse when I get through with you," Zarbon growled.  
  
"No!" Meleina said loudly. "Oh, Zarbon, its all my fault.you can't be mad at him, you really can't.please, it was my fault!" She tugged his arm and he sighed.  
  
"I just don't want to be stuck babysitting another low-level brat."  
  
"You won't," Meleina said gratefully. "Thank you, Zarbon." She smiled warmly and hugged him.  
  
He pushed her away and said curtly, "Oh, so you do know your manners." But he smiled as he said it.  
  
~*~  
  
Zarbon leaned his head back and closed his eyes. He had managed to shoo the children away and was extremely relieved by the silence.  
  
Raditz wasn't so much a bother as Meleina. He was content to sit and listen to the elite, but Meleina kept up a running commentary and insisted on asking as many questions as possible.  
  
He had a sudden sense that someone was watching him and his eyes snapped open. Meleina stood next to him. "Where's your brother?"  
  
"He wanted to rest. I'm not tired, so I came back here."  
  
Zarbon grimaced. "Wonderful."  
  
"Are we almost there?" Zarbon saw in her barely concealed excitement and smiled.  
  
"Almost." He pointed. "Do you see that planet there, right in front of us?"  
  
"Oh.but it's so far away!"  
  
"The time will pass quickly enough."  
  
"I hope so."  
  
Zarbon smiled at her again.  
  
~*~  
  
They landed on Ondwyn and stepped out of the transport. Meleina looked around excitedly, and Raditz stepped forward.  
  
"No!" Zarbon said sharply. "This mission is for Meleina. You are here on accident. You will stay aboard the ship while Meleina and I take care of business."  
  
Meleina smiled gently at Raditz. He growled angrily in reply and stormed back onto the ship. "He'll be okay here, won't he?"  
  
"Yes. If we do our job quickly enough, there won't be even the sense of danger for him here." Zarbon looked around the planet. "These people are strong, but not strong enough. Let's go."  
  
Meleina followed closely behind Zarbon. He began the attack with an energy blast, and Meleina followed suit. She kept up with the older warrior despite his being significantly stronger. He decimated most of the buildings, leaving the people for Meleina. She coldly fired blast after blast. One of the planet's males tried to attack her, but she brought him down easily enough.  
  
"Papa!" Meleina froze. A little girl raced toward the man she had just killed and hugged him, sobbing loudly.  
  
That could be me, Meleina thought. She shivered, and saw in her mind's eye herself, clutching her father's dead body. Meleina cried out in horror. She raced over to the little girl, knowing she had to help her or the child would face the same fate as her father. Suddenly, a tall figured plucked the little girl from the ground and snapped her neck.  
  
"If you continue as you were, I'll forget your moment of weakness." Meleina closed her eyes and gasped for breath.  
  
"I.I can't."  
  
Zarbon gave her a cold look. "Get back to the ship."  
  
Meleina squeaked in terror and hurried back. Inside the ship, Raditz was staring at a young Saiyan girl who stood blocking the doorway.  
  
"Socha!" Meleina smiled faintly at her friend. "I'm glad you made it. Really glad."  
  
"Are you finished already?" Raditz demanded. Both girls ignored him.  
  
"Do you have any idea how hard it was to sneak on?"  
  
"Zarbon's going to be really angry," Meleina remarked. Her face fell. "He's already pretty mad."  
  
"Why?" Raditz demanded. Meleina gave him a dirty look.  
  
"C'mon, Socha," she said, dragging the princess out of the room and into another.  
  
"Why's Zarbon mad at you?"  
  
Meleina winced. "I.well."  
  
"You refused to kill?" Socha asked hopefully.  
  
"No.not exactly." Meleina sighed. "I lost it. I.I saw this little girl hugging her dad.I had just killed him.and suddenly it was me and my dad.I couldn't keep fighting," she finished sadly.  
  
Socha hugged her friend. "It'll be okay."  
  
"No, Socha. No, it won't be okay."  
  
"Yeah it will. I'll make sure it turns out okay. I'm the princess, remember?"  
  
"Socha, I made a deal with Frieza. I gave him my word- my promise. I can't take that back."  
  
"What kind of a deal did you make?"  
  
"If I succeeded my mission, I would keep taking more. If I failed.he would kill me." Meleina met Socha's gaze. "I failed horribly, Socha. I ran from the fight. What a coward I am."  
  
"You aren't!" Socha exclaimed.  
  
"Listen to the princess." Both girls turned to look at Zarbon. "As disappointed as I am, I'm also very pleased. Lord Frieza will be pleased as well."  
  
"Why aren't I in trouble?"  
  
"It was your first mission. Every warrior has trouble with his or her first. Before you froze, Meleina, you demonstrated incredible skill."  
  
Meleina grinned. "That's good to hear."  
  
"I'll suggest to Lord Frieza that you receive some elite training. I doubt you'll receive it, but you're far better than other low-levels."  
  
"Thank you, sir." Socha sighed softly in relief.  
  
"You, Princess, are the one in trouble."  
  
"Oh, Zarbon!" Meleina said. "She wanted to watch! You can't punish her- just like you can't punish Raditz." She tugged his arm. Please?"  
  
The warrior looked down into her hopeful eyes and sighed. "Okay, okay. Now.run off and play.or something like that."  
  
Meleina grinned broadly. "You're the best, Zarbon!" and she hugged him.  
  
~*~  
  
"Lord Frieza," Zarbon said calmly, once again on Frieza's ship. The familiar surrounding comforted Zarbon, though he knew he shouldn't get too comfortable. Frieza was not going to take this news lightly, and he was going to have to fight for Meleina's case. He was surprised at the thought, but smiled inwardly. I'm getting soft. The thought didn't bother him when connected to Meleina; however- perhaps this surprised him even more.  
  
"Well, well. I suppose she failed her mission?"  
  
"Not exactly, sire." Zarbon took a deep breath. "She demonstrated incredible skill, considering the strikes against her- a low-level child without a tail."  
  
"I understand her difficulties, Zarbon. How did she fail?"  
  
"My Lord, she froze up during the battle."  
  
"Why?"  
  
"I.I believe it was because of her father."  
  
"Her father."  
  
"Yes, Lord Frieza. She is very close to her father."  
  
"What happened that she thought of her father?"  
  
"She killed a man and his daughter ran up to him. Undoubtedly, she pictured herself and her father in that same position."  
  
"Her father is her weakness. Stamp it out of her, Zarbon."  
  
"Yes, Lord Frieza." He hesitated. "She is to be kept alive, then?"  
  
"Certainly, Zarbon. I want you to personally train her further. Make her the best warrior possible. Do get her some new armor, I never want to see that low-level scrap she wears on her again. Oh, and Zarbon? If she freezes or turns against you, don't hesitate- kill her immediately."  
  
"Yes, Lord Frieza."  
  
The door burst open and one of the other elites- Zarbon couldn't remember his name- rushed in. "Lord Frieza!"  
  
"Can't you see that I'm busy?"  
  
"Yes, Lord Frieza, but King Vegeta-"  
  
Frieza turned. "What about him?"  
  
"He wishes to announce the birth of Prince Vegeta, sire."  
  
Zarbon looked surprised. "Another royal Saiyan?"  
  
"I will meet with him and his son."  
  
"Sire, they've gone to Recovery. Apparently the Prince fell ill-"  
  
"Then send in the King."  
  
"Yes, my Lord."  
  
There was a moment of silence between Zarbon and Frieza, then the door opened and King Vegeta walked in.  
  
"Good day, Lord Frieza. I have excellent news-"  
  
"A male heir. This is indeed good news."  
  
"I want him to begin his training immediately. Unfortunately, he fell mildly ill, and I didn't want to infect you."  
  
"My health is hardly your concern, Vegeta. I am very eager to see your son, and am feeling generous today. I will go to see him."  
  
~*~  
  
Socha beat Frieza to Recovery. When he arrived with his entourage, she was holding the tiny Prince tightly in her arms. She saw her father and pulled Vegeta closer to her, glaring at him.  
  
"Put him down," King Vegeta said sharply.  
  
Socha opened her mouth to reply but was cut off my Meleina walking in.  
  
"Is that him?" Meleina blurted. She raced up to Socha and both girls grinned. "Boy, he's awfully cute, isn't he?"  
  
"Excuse me?" the King snapped shortly.  
  
"But he's so little!" Meleina remarked. The King snarled and grabbed her arm.  
  
"Show some respect for your Prince, you little wretch!" Meleina's jaw dropped. "Since when have you low-levels gotten so stupid?" He slapped Meleina hard across the face and she fell to her knees. Oh, nothing had ever hurt so hard as his slap! Tears stung her eyes, but she forced them away and stood up slowly. King Vegeta glared at her coldly, but she stared at him defiantly. He raised his hand again, but Prince Vegeta stopped the fight by screaming. Socha handed him to her father, and she and Meleina hurried off.  
  
Meleina put a hand to her face and winced. "Wow, that really hurt."  
  
Socha looked worried. "Are you okay?"  
  
"Yeah, I'll be fine. Your brother sure is useful to have around."  
  
Socha giggled. "Isn't he sweet?"  
  
"Uh-huh, but I still think he's really tiny."  
  
"That's okay. Just be careful to keep away from Dad from now on, he doesn't forgive quickly."  
  
"Not a problem. I'm glad my dad doesn't hit my friends like that." A sudden thought struck Meleina. "You didn't know you were going to have a brother, did you?"  
  
"No, why?"  
  
"I was just thinking that you said if you ever had a brother, you hoped he wouldn't be as mean as Raditz."  
  
Socha nodded. "I hope Vegeta turns out to be nice. I couldn't stand it if he became a killer." 


	4. Home

Disclaimer: Don't own DBZ, am not affiliated with FUNimation  
  
  
  
Three years later, Meleina asked that Frieza allow her to return home to her family for a little while. He agreed readily (though she suspected that it was at Zarbon's insistence), and Meleina hurried to her pod. In the next release bay over, Socha was also climbing into a pod.  
  
"Hey, friend, where're you headed?"  
  
Socha looked over and grinned. "I thought you'd be here. I heard that you were going to go home to your family, so I begged Frieza into letting me go with. It wasn't that hard; I think he was actually pretty glad to be rid of me for a little while."  
  
Meleina's heart skipped a beat. "You're coming home with me? To meet my family?"  
  
"Yeah! How fun does that sound?  
  
Meleina laughed. "Actually, that sounds like a lot of fun." She smiled mischievously. "You know, Raditz should be there. And you'll get to meet Mom! You've met Dad once, but you hardly know him. I bet I can convince him and his crew to come visit for a few days. You know, Dad's the only one of them with a family, so it wouldn't be too much to ask."  
  
Socha grinned. "I can't wait! You talk so much about your family that I've always really wanted to meet them. I already know Raditz, and.well, he's.not like you," she cleared her throat, then grinned. "But your Dad was really nice, and you always talk about your Mom, so she must be really great, too."  
  
Meleina nodded happily. "Oh, yeah, Mom's great, but she's nowhere near as fun as Dad." The two girls grinned at each other. "C'mon, we'd better hurry up. I can't wait to get there!"  
  
Meleina and Socha hurried into their pods, and Meleina chuckled softly. This visit home sure is going to be a lot of fun!  
  
They landed on the pad with a soft, familiar thump that made Meleina grin. She hurried out of her pod, then turned slightly to watch Socha get out. "Is that her?" Socha asked, pointing to a young woman. Meleina laughed and waved.  
  
"Hi, Mom!" She looked over at Socha. "I haven't seen any of them in three years now. I've been so busy working for Frieza that I haven't been able to." Socha nodded slightly. "Mom looks a lot older, though. I think she's been worried about me."  
  
Socha grinned. "That's good." They hurried over to the Saiyan woman, and Meleina gestured to Socha.  
  
"Mom, this is my best friend, Socha. She got permission to come down and spend time with us. Is that okay?"  
  
Meleina's mom looked shocked. "Not.Princess Socha?"  
  
Socha inclined her head in greeting. "The same. It's a pleasure to meet you."  
  
"Oh, no, Princess, the pleasure's all mine! Of course it's okay if you stay with us- we'd be honored."  
  
Meleina rolled her eyes. "Mom, she's my friend. Don't treat her like the princess, okay? Treat her like a person." Socha hid a smile.  
  
"Of course!" Meleina's mother exclaimed. "Oh, please do forgive my rudeness."  
  
Meleina grimaced. "Can we just go? We were going to walk back home, right?"  
  
Her mother gave her a sharp look. "Of course not! We're going to fly, like normal Saiyans do."  
  
Meleina scowled. "But, Mom, you-"  
  
"Quiet, Meleina. Quickly now."  
  
Meleina and Socha followed slightly behind the older Saiyan, giving them extra time to talk without interruption. "Why did your mom get so mad at you when you asked to walk?"  
  
Meleina lowered her voice significantly. "Mom's got Hyper Dioslk. She loses energy when she flies, but she doesn't like people knowing. Besides, she wants to make a good impression on the wonderful princess, and walking is, according to King Vegeta, 'A thing for low-level warriors. No respectable Saiyan would ever consider walking an option when he can fly.'"  
  
Socha rolled her eyes. "Yeah, that does sound like something my dad would say." The girls exchanged glances and burst into laughter. "So, is Raditz gonna be home?"  
  
"I don't know. Lemme ask Mom, though. Hey, Ma? Is Raditz coming home for this visit?"  
  
Her mother looked back and nodded. "Well, yes, of course. It is a family get together, you know, dear."  
  
Meleina bit her lip. "How long is Dad planning on staying?"  
  
Her mother growled slightly. "Meleina, it's your dad. He never says when he's going to visit, or how long he's going to stay, or who he's going to bring with." She raised an eyebrow. "I thought the saying was, 'Like father, like son,' not 'like father, like daughter.'"  
  
Meleina flushed slightly. "Right, Mom, I'm just like Dad."  
  
Her mother sighed. "I really don't want to discuss this now, all right? The point is that I have no idea when he's coming or how long he's staying."  
  
"But he is coming, right?"  
  
"He said he would be. So, in all likelihood, no, he won't make it."  
  
Meleina shook her head. "He'll make it, Mom."  
  
Socha smiled at her friend. "Of course he will. He loves spending time with you."  
  
Her mother sighed again, then suddenly dropped down and landing on the ground. Meleina dropped next to her and gripped her shoulder. "Mom, are you okay?" Socha landed beside them.  
  
"It's all right if we walk, really," the princess said worriedly. She saw the frightened look on Meleina's face and nodded to confirm her statement. "I don't mind. Besides, walking is a good calming exercise."  
  
Meleina's mother nodded vaguely, and Meleina tightened her grip on her mother's shoulder. They walked the rest of the way back to Meleina's house, Meleina supporting her mother and Socha prepared to help if necessary.  
  
The first thing Socha noticed about Meleina's house was the size. It wasn't huge, but it was a good size bigger than many of the houses she had seen on her way here. The front yard contained a small garden, the plants weaving an intricate design across the huge yard. The grass had been scorched a little (most likely from Meleina and Raditz fighting, Socha thought with a grin). The inside of the house was very well taken care of, things stacked in neat piles.  
  
"Wow," Socha said happily. This place looked more like a home to her than anywhere she'd ever seen- including her own home.  
  
"It's not much, I know," Meleina's mother said shyly. "But we make do with what we've got. I hope you don't feel like it's not big enough, we can always pull up the add-on if we need to-"  
  
"It's perfect," Socha exclaimed. "It's even more beautiful than where I live." She grinned. "Don't worry about any add-ons, this is just great! Where do I get to sleep?"  
  
Meleina smirked. "You can share a room with me, as long as you don't mind the floor."  
  
"Meleina!" her mother said sharply.  
  
"What? What'd I do?"  
  
"Socha is not just any one of your regular friends, Meleina. You have to treat her with respect!"  
  
Socha laughed. "Actually, I'd be quite happy on the floor, if you don't mind."  
  
A voice floated through the doorway to the kitchen. "Is that Meleina I hear?"  
  
"Dad!" She raced through and flung her arms around his neck, hugging him tightly.  
  
"Whoa, kid, you grew up fast. How old are you now, twenty, thirty?"  
  
Meleina grinned and punched his shoulder. "You know full well that I'm thirteen."  
  
"Thirteen? Wow, that's even more important that being twenty." Meleina snorted and punched his arm again, and he staggered slightly. "Jeez, kid, you've got a great arm." This drew a slight chuckle from two people standing behind him. Meleina instantly recognized Taura, and bowed her head to him in greeting, but the other Saiyan she didn't' recognize. The new Saiyan was a young woman who looked to be Bardock's age. She had short black hair and wore pink armor. Meleina forced herself not to comment on the color choice of the other woman, but held her hand out in greeting.  
  
"I'm Meleina."  
  
"Fascha," the other replied with a slight sneer. Meleina saw her gaze flick down to Meleina's shortened tail, and she twitched it.  
  
"Fascha's one of the new members of my crew," Bardock explained. "Taura and I decided it'd be better if we moved beyond just the two of us. There are two others, but they went to visit their own families."  
  
"It's great to meet you." Socha and Meleina's mother walked into the kitchen. Meleina gestured to Socha, unable to resist annoying her father's new friend. "This is my friend Socha. She's going to be staying with us for a while."  
  
She watched with internal laughter as Fascha's jaw dropped and Taura raised a surprised eyebrow. "Socha? Not.not the princess, now, are you?" he asked with a slight chuckle. "Of course not, you're wearing low-level clothing and armor."  
  
Socha scratched her head and smiled sheepishly. "Actually, I am.I just wear this because it's more comfortable and it looks better."  
  
"Not to mention much easier to move around it," Meleina said dryly. "Dad, do you have any of my old armor that I can put on? This stuff is tough, but I can hardly move."  
  
"Yeah, go look in your room, I'm sure we've got something. Unless," he added with a faint smile, "Your mother got rid of your old stuff."  
  
Meleina turned. "Mom?"  
  
"It's in your room still, Meleina. Hurry up, dinner's going to be ready soon and you don't want to miss that, do you?"  
  
Meleina chuckled, then raced to change into a pair of her old clothes before rushing back out to eat.  
  
After dinner, the group settled down in the den and built a fire to relax beside. Meleina leaned close to Socha. "This is what I miss the most," she confided in her friend. "It's so nice to just sit here with everybody." She frowned. "Or, at least, almost everybody. Hey, Dad? When's Raditz supposed to get here?"  
  
Bardock looked up and shrugged. "How would I know?"  
  
Meleina grinned. "Mom?"  
  
"He's supposed to come in late tonight, when we're all asleep."  
  
"That's real safe," Meleina whispered to Socha, who chuckled.  
  
"Going to stay awake all night to watch out for him?" Socha teased.  
  
Meleina shrugged. "There's not much more damage for him to do," Meleina pointed out, stroking her tail softly. "Besides, if he does try anything, I'll just pound him through our house into our neighbors'. The girl he likes lives there." Socha giggled.  
  
"You know he's going to get on our nerves at every possible chance, don't you?"  
  
Meleina nodded, then smiled evilly. "What if we made sure that we embarrass him first?"  
  
Socha raised an eyebrow. "How do you plan on doing that?"  
  
Meleina bit her lip, then glanced over at her family. "I'll tell you later. I assure you, however: you're gonna love this one!"  
  
Fascha gave Meleina a sharp look. "Going to love what?" she asked sweetly. Meleina gave the Saiyan woman a dirty look.  
  
"Wasn't talking to you, was I?" she snapped shortly.  
  
Fascha scowled. "You ought to show some respect to your elders and betters."  
  
"Sure," Meleina muttered under her breath, "just as soon as I find my betters."  
  
Socha raised an eyebrow. "You know what?" she asked, trying to stop the fight before it began. "I'm really tired. Can I go to bed now?"  
  
Meleina nodded, still glaring at Fascha. "Yeah, I should go to sleep now, too," she growled. "Gotta be up bright and early tomorrow."  
  
While they were climbing into bed, Socha looked up at Meleina. "So, you gonna tell me what you're going to do to Raditz?"  
  
Meleina instantly forgot about Fascha and started to laugh. "Yeah. You're really gonna love this idea, I swear." She leaned over the edge of her bed and whispered to Socha for a few seconds. Socha clamped her hands over her mouth to keep from giggling too loudly.  
  
"You're right, I do love that!" She grinned. "This is going to be so much better than when we made him think he was invisible!"  
  
Meleina grinned. "I'm counting on it!"  
  
The next day Meleina awoke and quickly gave herself the once-over. When she was satisfied that Raditz had left her alone, she threw her pillow at Socha, waking her friend up. Socha sat up groggily and blinked blankly at Meleina before grinning.  
  
"Oh, yeah. That's right," she said sheepishly.  
  
Meleina laughed. "Forget where you were?"  
  
Socha nodded. "For a minute there, I did. I had a dream that I was back on Frieza's ship with Vegeta."  
  
Meleina snorted. "Vegeta, shortest Prince of all the Saiyans."  
  
Socha giggled softly. "So, you're still in on piece.guess that means Raditz didn't go after you."  
  
Meleina grinned. "I thought the same thing, you know. Wonder if he's even here."  
  
"Let's go see!" Meleina and Socha quickly dressed then raced out to the kitchen.  
  
"Mmm," Socha said. "That smells really good!"  
  
Meleina's mother smiled faintly. "Does it? It's Meleina's favorite dish."  
  
She whooped in delight, but her cheer quickly turned to anger as Raditz walked in the room. "Oh, so you did make it here. I was hoping you'd have an accident or something."  
  
He sneered. "No, I decided you bless you all with my presence." He passed a hand through his hair and smiled faintly, then pulled out a pocket mirror and looked at himself.  
  
"Oh. My. Word," Meleina said, staring at him.  
  
He looked passed his own image to her. "Is something wrong, little sis?"  
  
She snatched the mirror out of his hand. "What do you need this for? Trying to make sure that you really are ugly?"  
  
He snarled and grabbed it back. "Give it back! I happen to need my mirror."  
  
Meleina chuckled and looked at Socha. I think my plan's going to work just fine.  
  
They sat down to breakfast, each of them eating as if this meal would be their last. After they had finished, Meleina looked up and frowned. "Where's Dad?"  
  
Her mother slammed her silverware down on the table. "How am I supposed to know? I wake up this morning and he and his friends are nowhere to be seen!"  
  
Meleina shrugged. "Good, that Fascha was starting to bug me. I can't believe Dad's got a girl on his crew."  
  
"You're not the only one," her mother growled angrily. Meleina bit her lip, knowing she was going to regret bringing up the subject. "The nerve of him, to spend all his time with that.that."  
  
Meleina raised an eyebrow. "Calm down, Mom, it's not like anything's going to happen. She's definitely not Dad's type." Her mother glared at her. "So, how about a different subject? What've you been up to, Raditz?"  
  
The tall Saiyan smirked. "I've been handling some rather rough jobs."  
  
Meleina couldn't resist the jibe. "Rough for you, at least. I've read some of your reports, sounds like you've been slacking off."  
  
He gave her a sharp look. "Slacking off? I've been working my tail off- though not literally, like you."  
  
Meleina narrowed her eyes dangerously. "C'mon, Socha, let's get out of her," she snapped, grabbing her friend by the arm and dragging her away. When they were out of the house, Meleina growled darkly. "I can't believe the nerve of him! He's either really stupid or really brave, challenging me like that. Who does he think he is? He's no elite, not like me, so why's he acting like one?"  
  
Socha bit her lip. "I don't know. So.where did you want to go to?"  
  
Meleina gave her a blank look, then suddenly grinned. "That's right, I forgot you don't know your way around here. I say we go to The Dresselian. It's a hangout downtown, one of the cleaner ones. You'd like it." She smiled. "We can plan exactly how we're going to do this to Raditz while we're there, you know? It'll be fun. Besides," she added in a quiet whisper, "One of the waiters is a good friend of mine, and he is extremely good-looking." Socha grinned.  
  
"That sounds like a good time to me!"  
  
They returned home several hours later, their plan completely ready. Meleina was disappointed to find that her old friend had moved on from The Dresselian and now owned his own restaurant chain. She made a mental note to tell her mother that they had to find the one he worked at and drop by to say hello.  
  
That night, Meleina's mother prepared a fantastic feast for the four, and they all received a shock when Bardock, Taura, and Fascha returned for dinner. Meleina's mother grew extremely angry and nearly threw the three of them out on the street, but Meleina convinced her to let them stay. Bardock explained to Meleina (who seemed to be the only one who had any chance of reasoning with her mother) that they had gotten up early to train and that they would have mentioned where they were going but everyone was still asleep. Meleina believed it and tried to explain to her mother, but her mother would have none of it and denied them dinner. When Bardock tried to argue, Meleina interrupted.  
  
"You know, Mom's got a good point. You did run off and leave us wondering where you were. It's only fair that you get a just punishment. Besides, you should be glad she didn't kick you out completely."  
  
"She might as well have," Bardock complained, rubbing his stomach. Meleina met his gaze and through their loving bond Bardock knew that she had no intention of letting them go hungry and she would sneak some food to him and his two friends later.  
  
They ate quickly. After dinner, Meleina and Socha hurried back to Meleina's room to complete the preparations for their prank on Raditz. They gathered the necessary supplies, borrowing from Meleina's mother and Meleina's closet as much as they could, filling a large cardboard box full of items.  
  
When her mother went to sleep, Meleina slipped some dinner in to Fascha and Taura, then quietly sneaked into her mother and father's room. Her mother was fast asleep, but Bardock sat straight up in bed, rubbing his stomach. When he saw Meleina, his eyes lit up. "Food!" he choked.  
  
Meleina chuckled softly. "You sound like you've been starved, Dad."  
  
"Sure feels like it," he moaned, downing the food as fast as he could.  
  
"You'd better be sure to clean up all the crumbs, Dad, because Mom will find out that you ate in bed if you don't."  
  
He nodded. "No worries there, I'd hate to go without food again."  
  
Meleina slipped out quietly then returned to her room. Socha was picking through the items in the box they had put together. "Everybody's fed, we can go ahead with Operation.um, we don't have a name for this, do we? We should make one up."  
  
"How about.Operation: Twin Terrors?"  
  
"OTT for short," Meleina said, then grinned broadly. "I like it." She gestured to the door. "We need to wait until we're sure he's asleep, okay?"  
  
Socha nodded. "It'd be awful if he woke up and caught us doing it!" she said, and both girls shivered slightly at the thought of a truly angry Raditz.  
  
They stayed up for many long hours, talking quietly and glancing at the box often, grinning broadly at the thought of what they were planning.  
  
Finally, it came time to execute the plan. Meleina crept out first, having no fear of her slightly older brother, and opened the door to his room. After examining Raditz and confirming that he was deeply asleep, she hurried back to her room and nodded at Socha. The two girls sneaked into Raditz's room, Socha dragging the box behind her, and quietly closed his door. Meleina turned the lights on low, then turned to her box. She pulled out the first instrument of torture to use on Raditz- a frilly pink dress. She slipped it on over his head and carefully fit in on him so as not to wake him up. Socha pulled out several large pink bows from the box and tied them up in Raditz's long hair. Meleina looked over at him and snickered to herself. As if the dress wasn't enough, Meleina pulled out a large diaper, a baby bonnet, and a bib out of her box and placed them on over Raditz's armor. Socha clamped her hands over her mouth, then dug into the box again and pulled out the devices they had borrowed from Meleina's mother- makeup.  
  
"Do the honors?" Socha asked, grinning madly.  
  
Meleina laughed. "You do the lipstick, I do the mascara." Though neither girl had every worn makeup, they applied it with expert precision. When they finished, Meleina stepped back to admire their handiwork.  
  
"Not bad, I'd say."  
  
"One last thing," Socha grinned. She pulled up another ribbon and gently tied it around Raditz's tail. "There we go! Am I forgetting anything?"  
  
Meleina looked in her box again and laughed, bringing out a small can. "Yeah- pink hair color." Socha gave her a look.  
  
"You wouldn't!"  
  
"I would." Meleina sprayed several streaks of bright pink into Raditz's long hair. "You know, that actually looks kind of.interesting." She chuckled softly, then looked back in the box. "Ooh.fake nails! I've seen these!" She handed half of them to Socha, and the two girls calmly glued the fake pink with purple polka dotted nails to his fingers.  
  
Socha looked in the box again, then nodded firmly. "That's everything."  
  
"Not quite," Meleina said. "We need to get all the mirrors away from him so he can't see himself until he's been properly humiliated." She and Socha searched through every storage area of Raditz's room until they were certain that they had found every single mirror. Meleina placed one on the kitchen table so he would be able to see what they had done to him. They raced back to bed, still giddy from the devilish trick they had played on Raditz, and eager to see what his reaction would be.  
  
Meleina and Socha awoke before anyone else the next morning and hurried down to the kitchen. Before long, everyone but Raditz was in the kitchen, eating ferociously. When he finally staggered tiredly into the kitchen, all conversation halted and everyone stared at him. It was all Meleina and Socha could do to keep from giggling, but Bardock took one look at his son and burst into laughter, nearly choking on his breakfast.  
  
Raditz looked slightly annoyed and grumbled, "I couldn't get ready because somebody-" he glared at Meleina, "-stole my mirrors."  
  
Taura snorted. "Looks like you did a good enough job without the mirrors."  
  
Fascha gave Bardock a horrified look. "I didn't know your son was a cross- dresser!"  
  
"What?!" Raditz snarled, deeply offended. It wasn't his fault he was born with such long hair. Meleina couldn't hold in her laughter anymore. As soon as she started chuckling, Socha joined her, and soon they were rolling around on the floor in tears of laughter, watching Raditz grab the mirror they had left on the table. As he looked at what the two girls had done to him, his face grew bright red with humiliation and anger. He screamed and lunged at the giggling Meleina, who scrambled to her feet. Raditz chased the two girls out of the house and into the yard, where a crowd had gathered at the sound of his scream. Meleina collapsed to the ground, her sides aching with laughter, gasping for breath, as Raditz froze. Socha looked around at the crowd in mild horror. Maybe we were too hard on him, she thought as Raditz retreated to his room. Meleina waved at the crowd before walking back in the house, followed closely by Socha. Meleina's mother had obviously gone to help Raditz get cleaned up, leaving the two girls alone with Bardock and his friends.  
  
Fascha gave them a hard look. "That was a truly cruel thing to do," she said shortly.  
  
Bardock snorted. "If you think that's bad, you obviously don't know them that well."  
  
"Yeah," Meleina agreed, unwrapping her tiny tail from her waist. Fascha looked mildly surprised, then gave her a cold look.  
  
"Well, I'm glad you're proud of it," she sneered.  
  
"She should be," Socha interrupted with a smile. "Her ability to cope with her disability-" That sounded terrible! "-has led to an incredible amount of strength that has captured the attention of Frieza himself." Though the young princess didn't care much for Frieza's attention, she knew this information would make a strong impression on Fascha. The older woman scowled, unable to come up with a retort. Meleina's mother entered the room, deeply upset.  
  
"You girls have caused a lot of trouble today," she said in a dangerously quiet tone. "I'm sending you back to Frieza's ship."  
  
"You make it sound like that's a punishment," Fascha growled.  
  
Meleina grimaced. "I'd rather be here than up there with him," she whined.  
  
"Go," Meleina's mother ordered sharply. The two girls exchanged glances.  
  
"Can't we pack first?" Meleina asked innocently.  
  
Her mother slapped her on the back of the head. "You don't have anything to pack! Now get out of here!"  
  
Meleina and Socha shrugged, then took off toward their pods. Raditz watched them go from his room. I'll make you pay, little sister. You'll pay for what you've done to me. It was a full week before he finally managed to wash the pink out of his hair.  
  
By the time Meleina and Socha returned to Frieza's ship, news of their prank had already traveled to Frieza's ship. Only King Vegeta had anything bad to say about their joke (to which Meleina retorted behind his back that he had no sense of humor). They had been congratulated by most of the elite warriors on good planning and perfect execution of the plan ("Typical warrior jargon," Socha said with a roll of her eyes). Frieza didn't seem to care either way and soon enough the prank had been forgotten by all but Raditz. 


	5. Meleina's Death

Disclaimer: Don't own DBZ, not associated with FUNimation, not making any money on this fic.  
  
Author's Note: Slightly shorter than the last one, sorry  
  
  
  
1 Three years later  
  
Meleina, now sixteen years old strode quickly into Frieza's chamber. Standing next to the lizard-like leader was Zarbon, Meleina's old friend. Wow, he sure got handsome, the young Saiyan woman thought. She bowed shortly, then looked up with a smile. "Yes, my Lord?"  
  
"I have a difficult mission for you and Zarbon."  
  
"It will be a pleasure to work with him again, my Lord." She smiled at the warrior. "Three years is too long."  
  
Zarbon returned the smile. "It certainly is."  
  
"You will be destroying the planet Namek. The warriors there are far too strong to be allowed to survive. They could someday become a threat to us."  
  
Meleina gave a slight grin. "I hardly think that's likely. When do we leave?"  
  
"You have an hour to prepare."  
  
"Thank you, my Lord." She smiled at Zarbon as they walked out. "Together again, eh? This ought to be fun."  
  
Zarbon nodded. "Yes, but do you know anything about these people from Namek?"  
  
"No, but they can't be that strong." She frowned. "Well, maybe they can. Frieza did say he thought they were strong." She shook her head. "But that they might someday become a threat. Catch them in the bud, I guess."  
  
Zarbon smiled. "Still in the habit of talking to yourself, I see. Teenagers these days."  
  
Meleina playfully punched him in the shoulder. "I need to finish getting my armor on, and say goodbye to Socha and Vegeta."  
  
Zarbon raised an eyebrow. "Rumor has it that you torture the Prince."  
  
"Who, me? Never. I just annoy him."  
  
Zarbon laughed. "For you to annoy someone is like torturing them, Meleina."  
  
"Same difference."  
  
"Run along, say goodbye to your friends."  
  
~*~  
  
Vegeta and Socha were in training together. Meleina came up and watched on the computer screens over the shoulder of the attendant. Despite his size and youth, Meleina saw, Vegeta was quite the capable warrior. He had an extreme amount of energy surrounding him, and was incredibly fast. Socha was having some slight trouble keeping up with her younger brother. Meleina watched them fight for a few seconds, then growled slightly to the attendant. "Get them out of there, I need to talk to Socha."  
  
The attendant looked up at her, and she stared him straight in the eye. "Prince Vegeta won't be happy, miss, he-"  
  
"I don't really care right now."  
  
The attendant stared. "Yes, ma'am." Socha and Vegeta stepped out, Vegeta looking angry, Socha surprised.  
  
"What's the meaning of this?" Vegeta demanded.  
  
"I need to talk to Socha, Shorty, so back off," Meleina growled.  
  
Vegeta glared at her. "You can't talk to me like that!"  
  
Socha set a hand on his head. "Let it go. Meleina wouldn't interrupt if it isn't important."  
  
"Oh, sure, take her side."  
  
Meleina smiled faintly. "She just did, Shorty, so take a hike."  
  
Vegeta growled. "Someday I'm going to give you what you deserve."  
  
"Sure you will. Now go."  
  
The young Prince glared at her. "Why don't you?"  
  
"Anything to get away from you."  
  
"Please!" Socha said loudly. She grabbed Meleina's arm and dragged her from the room. "You know, if you keep annoying him like that, he's going to go to Frieza."  
  
"A little annoying won't kill him. It'll just make him more resistant to the taunts of his enemies." She grinned slyly. "I've already got my excuse made out. Besides, Frieza will listen to me. He knows I do things for a reason."  
  
Socha glared at her. "Yeah, but even he's got limits. Isn't it true that he hasn't sent you on a mission in a month? And that he sent you to the planet for a week?"  
  
Meleina winced. "Well.yeah." She grinned. "Actually, that's what I want to talk to you about. You know a lot about the universe, but I don't. Have you heard of a place called Namek?"  
  
Socha looked at her. "Frieza's sending you to Namek?" Meleina nodded. "I've heard of it. Not even his best elites want to go there. I can't believe you agreed to it, Mel!"  
  
"Why, what's wrong with Namek?"  
  
"The warriors there are some of the best in the universe! They all can regenerate parts of their body, which makes it extremely hard to kill them, and they're always making up new tricks!"  
  
"If they can regenerate, how do you kill them?"  
  
"The only way is to damage their heads. They can't regenerate if their head is damaged."  
  
"I'll keep that in mind."  
  
"Meleina, these people are warriors. It's extremely dangerous to go to their planet! Use your head!"  
  
"When have I ever used my head, Socha? This place sounds like fun. Besides, I'm not going by myself, Zarbon will be with me."  
  
Socha shook her head. "It's not going to be enough, just you wait and see." She grabbed her friend's arms and squeezed. "Promise me that if things look bad, you won't hesitate, you'll come right back."  
  
Meleina sighed. "Will it make you feel better?"  
  
"Yes. Mel, you can't risk your life for Frieza. He knows how dangerous this is going to be."  
  
"That's why he's sending his best. Socha, I promise that if things get too rough, I'll come back. Trust me, I know my limits, and I hardly think that these people could be much of a problem."  
  
Socha bit her lip. "I guess that'll have to be good enough."  
  
"Look, I've got to finish getting ready, then find Zarbon. I don't know if he wants me to take my Pod or go with him." She smiled. "I'll be fine."  
  
"You'd better be, or I'll never forgive you." The girls exchanged grins.  
  
"Socha- say goodbye to Shorty for me, okay?"  
  
Socha snorted back a laugh. "You are so mean to him."  
  
"I know." She smiled. "I'll be back soon, so tell him I'll be coming up with new jokes about him."  
  
"He's going to really hurt you one of these days, you know."  
  
"Yeah, I know." Meleina started to walk away then suddenly turned back without knowing why. "Thanks for being my friend, Socha," she said before she could think.  
  
Socha blinked in surprise, then looked worried. "Be careful, Meleina," she said softly.  
  
"I will."  
  
~*~  
  
Meleina and Zarbon stepped out of Zarbon's transport on planet Namek and looked around. "I don't see anybody," Meleina remarked, "but I sure do feel them everywhere. My scouter's going nuts."  
  
"I know," Zarbon said. "I don't trust it. I've got a bad feeling about this. Something's not going the way it should."  
  
Suddenly, a blast caught Meleina in the back. She was thrown several yards, and lay on the ground. Zarbon started forward, but Meleina caught sight of several hundred tall green beings behind him. "Zarbon!" she yelled. "Get out of here, it's an ambush! They knew we were coming!" He hesitated. "Go! Don't worry about me, I'll be alright!" She leaned back and winced in pain. "Leave, Zarbon. Do it now or you won't ever be able to!" He turned and raced back into the transport as the green people raced forward. It lifted from the ground slowly, then took off quickly. Several of the people fired energy blasts at it, but most turned to her. She swallowed and got unsteadily to her feet. If she was going to die, she was going to die fighting. She fired an energy blast, but something hit her from behind and knocked her down, her blast going wild. She trembled and rolled onto her back to look up at her attacker. A middle age Namek warrior stood above her. He grabbed her roughly and held her up. Several of his fellow warriors fired energy blasts. The last thing Meleina remembered before blacking out was the dark look in the warrior's eyes as he stared at her.  
  
~*~  
  
Bardock didn't know why he had been called to Frieza's vessel. He waited patiently outside the chamber, then bowed slightly as Prince Vegeta and Princess Socha came to stand beside him. Vegeta rolled his eyes, but Socha smiled faintly. The door opened, and the three walked in. Bardock took in the sight with vague confusion. Dodoria had his arms crossed over his chest and looked extremely annoyed, while Zarbon leaned weakly against a nearby wall. Frieza had the vaguest of frowns playing at the corners of his lips. The three Saiyans bowed to Frieza, then waited calmly for him to tell why they had been called together. The door slipped open again, and Raditz strode in. He bowed to Frieza, but ignored Socha and Vegeta.  
  
"Now that we are all here," Frieza said slowly. "Zarbon has tragic news for you."  
  
Socha's eyes widened as she stared at the warrior. "I.I'm afraid that Meleina is." Zarbon broke off and took a deep breath. "She's dead," he finished flatly.  
  
"No," Socha whispered. "She can't be."  
  
Zarbon lowered his gaze to the floor. "We were ambushed on Planet Namek. She was attacked first and thrown away from the transport. She told me to leave, so at least one of us could live. She died a warrior's death-"  
  
"What's it matter what kind of a death she died?" Bardock demanded. He looked half-crazy at the news. "The only thing that really matters is that she is dead." He stared at Zarbon. "How could you just leave her there to die?" he bellowed. Socha put a hand on his shoulder in attempt to calm him down.  
  
Socha looked at Zarbon. "You saw her die?"  
  
"No, but.there were hundreds of them against just her. She couldn't have survived."  
  
Bardock put his head in his hands and barely managed to stifle a sob. Socha set a hand on her shoulder and forced a brave smile for him. "Excuse us," she said quietly, then led Bardock from the room.  
  
He looked at her. "You were her best friend," he muttered. "Do you really think she died?"  
  
Socha hesitated. "She has to be. Zarbon wouldn't be so upset if he had any thought that she was still alive."  
  
Bardock choked. "She was my daughter. I.I loved her."  
  
Socha nodded. "I know, Bardock. I cared about her, too."  
  
Bardock suddenly looked up at her. "She was going to have a baby brother. We were going to surprise her with him...she always wanted a little brother."  
  
Socha smiled weakly. "At least you've got another kid. Two others."  
  
Bardock shook his head. "I don't want it. If you think I want to go through this again, you're insane." His hands curled into fists. "I don't want a family," he hissed to himself. "I live to fight, to get revenge for Meleina's death." He turned away. "I don't need anything."  
  
Socha watched him walk away and trembled slightly. Bardock really loved her, Socha thought sadly. And now he doesn't want a family. The poor man.  
  
The door opened and Vegeta and Raditz came out. Raditz looked at Socha. "I loved her as much as I hated her. There can be no greater reward for a warrior." He strode away in the same direction as Bardock.  
  
"Going back to the planet, I suppose," Vegeta sneered.  
  
Socha looked down at him. "Aren't you even a little upset?"  
  
He snorted. "Of course I am. But if you think I'm foolish enough to show it, you're very wrong."  
  
Socha closed her eyes. "I'm really going to miss her."  
  
Vegeta's face softened. "Me too."  
  
~*~  
  
The room was incredibly dark. It took several moments for Meleina's eyes to adjust to the curious darkness, then she blinked in surprise as recent events returned to her memory.  
  
"Oh." she moaned. "I'm alive!"  
  
"Of course you're alive. You're lucky I went with the other warriors."  
  
Meleina jerked and sat up to stare at the green being. "You're the one who let them blast me. Why should I consider that lucky?"  
  
"Because I also saved your life. If it weren't for me, they would have killed you."  
  
"Oh, well, thank you so very much," she sneered. He stared calmly back at her, and she sighed. "Thanks. So, I'm still on Namek?"  
  
"You are."  
  
She set a hand on her stomach. "Can I get something to eat? I'm really hungry."  
  
"Certainly." He passed her a bowl filled with fruit, and a goblet of water.  
  
She ate quickly and almost asked for more, but didn't want to be rude. "Why didn't you let them kill me?"  
  
The warrior smiled faintly. "Because I sensed something in you. Something different than I had expected." Meleina raised an eyebrow. "You wish to be recognized as a strong warrior, but you have an extreme dislike for the murders you cause." Meleina didn't reply. "My name is Kami," the warrior said.  
  
"I'm Meleina." She met Kami's gaze and held it. "How did you know we were coming?"  
  
Kami smiled. "I could sense your energy. Might I add that you have an extreme energy surrounding you?"  
  
"I'm one of the top Saiyan warriors."  
  
"You are a Saiyan? I have heard of your kind."  
  
"Then you know how deadly we are?"  
  
Kami chuckled. "I know you are a very dangerous people. I don't sense that from you, however."  
  
Meleina smirked. "Well, don't you just know everything there is to know."  
  
"Would you like to go outside?"  
  
"What I really want is to go home."  
  
Kami sighed. "Sadly, we have no way of returning you to your home."  
  
She gave him a look. "Why not? My friends are going to be worried about me, my father-" She stopped and stared. "Dad's going to be so upset!" she blurted, remembering that Zarbon had left. "They're all going to think I'm dead!"  
  
Kami nodded faintly. "I understand your dilemma."  
  
Meleina bit her lip. "There's no way I can go home?"  
  
"I'm terribly sorry."  
  
Her shoulders sagged. "I'm stuck here?"  
  
"It looks that way." Kami set a hand on her shoulder. "I can make you as comfortable as possible, but you will have to gain the trust of my fellow Namekians yourself."  
  
"Who says I want their trust?"  
  
"If you're here for the rest of your life, I suggest you do your best to befriend them."  
  
Meleina closed her eyes. "I'll think about it. It's not normal for a Saiyan to befriend the people she came to destroy."  
  
  
  
Author's Note: Had you scared with the title for a minute, didn't I? ( 


	6. Escape From Namek

Disclaimer: Don't own DBZ, don't know anybody at FUNi, don't make any money (hehe, that rhymed)1  
  
2  
  
3 Several months later  
  
Meleina gazed up at the starlit sky and smiled faintly. Every night she came to stargaze- every night, that is, except for the night of the full moon. She had broken the rules and befriended the Namek people, and didn't want to harm them in any way. She didn't know what they would do if she transformed, anyway, so it was in her best interest to stay inside on the night of the full moon. The Namekians thought her to be rude- they celebrated the full moon. Only Kami had asked for her reason, and she had simply told him, "Dangerous things happen to Saiyans at the full moon."  
  
Kami came up behind her and smiled faintly. "A beautiful night." He sat down beside her. "Do you still miss your home?"  
  
"Not as much as I used to." She smiled. "I love living here, but.I loved my life as a Saiyan."  
  
Kami chuckled slightly. "Which one is your planet?" he asked, gesturing to the stars.  
  
Meleina pointed. "Right there. She's so beautiful, isn't she?"  
  
"Very beautiful," he agreed. Suddenly, Meleina put a hand to her head and winced. "Meleina? Are you alright?"  
  
"Yeah," she said. "I just-" She stopped talking and stared at the sky. A voice filled her head. It was familiar- masculine, warm, and tender, but she couldn't place it. Meleina.you're alive! My wonderful Mel. She twitched and looked at Kami. "I'm sorry, I'm not feeling very well."  
  
He nodded. "I'll help you back. I want to make sure you're okay."  
  
"Thanks." Meleina took his extended arm and sighed. When she returned to her small house, she lay down on her bed and shook her head. "Meleina, you're losing it, girl." Without warning, the voice filled her head again. Kakarot! She clutched her head and groaned. Kakarot, my son. She stood up and staggered to the door. She had to get help.her head felt as if it were exploding, and she knew that hearing voices was not a good thing. And then a second voice joined the first. Bardock! Meleina cried out and fell to her knees. Of course! The voice was her father! She leaned against the door as the second voice spoke up. Bardock! You know who I am, don't you? Suddenly, she wasn't in her tiny house anymore. She was on an unfamiliar planet, watching her father reaching out to a young man who had his back turned.  
  
4 Yes.you're my son!  
  
5 It's not too late to change, Father. To be different.than him. A vision of Frieza suddenly filled her mind, and she felt a deep sense of fear and anger from her father. She screeched loudly and clutched her head.  
  
Meleina choked as strong hands grabbed her and hauled her to her feet. "Meleina! Leina, are you alright?" She trembled and looked up at Kami with wide eyes.  
  
"My father!" she blurted. "My brother- oh, Kami, I saw them.I." He shook her hard, and she burst into tears. "I saw them, Kami.I saw them.He knows I'm alive now." She laughed softly and hugged him. They stayed in the position for several long minutes, then suddenly her father's voice filled her mind.  
  
Meleina.Mel.I love you. I know you're alive.Frieza's destroyed the planet, Mel. You're one of the only survivors. Kakarot.the brother you never knew.he's alive, too. Find him, Mel. Teach him about his family.  
  
I will, Father! She cried with her mind.  
  
You were right, my son.it wasn't too late to change. I wish I could have held you in my arms when I had the chance. Meleina felt the connection to her father cut off suddenly and she knew he had died.  
  
She broke down and wept into Kami's arms as the Namek held her tightly, confused.  
  
The next morning she was in better mental shape, though she looked as if she hadn't slept at all. Kami greeted her warmly, but she didn't seem to notice he was in the room.  
  
"Meleina? Are you alright?"  
  
She kept her back to him. "I'm not sure, Kami. I."  
  
"Yes?"  
  
"Never mind." Her voice was soft and mournful, and Kami felt his heart contract at the pain in it.  
  
"You're certain you're fine?"  
  
She turned to meet his gaze, and he saw the drying tear tracks on her cheeks. "I don't know. I don't think so."  
  
Kami pulled her into his embrace and she sighed softly. "It's gone, Kami. All of it.gone. Just like that." She snapped her fingers, then dropped her hand to her side.  
  
"Meleina, you have to tell someone what happened."  
  
She drew back and glared at him angrily. "Didn't you hear me? It's gone."  
  
"What's gone, Leina?"  
  
"Don't call me that," she said sharply.  
  
He gave her a startled look. "Meleina," he said in a forcefully calm voice. She lifted her gaze from the floor. "What's gone?"  
  
"Vegeta," she whispered. "Everything. Mom, Dad, Raditz, Socha, Vegeta." A bitter smile twisted across her lips. "All but my baby brother."  
  
Kami drew her back into his arms. "Then there's hope."  
  
"There's no hope. He was sent away. I'll never find him."  
  
"You must never give up hope for the future, Meleina. There must be other survivors."  
  
"Frieza is more thorough than you think. No, they're all dead." Her gaze turned distant as she stared out at the sky.  
  
He touched her shoulder. "Meleina."  
  
"If only I had been there," she whispered darkly. "I should have been there for my father, for my friends. They needed me, and I failed them." She closed her eyes and leaned back into Kami's arms. "I'm sorry."  
  
"For what?"  
  
"For acting like such a jerk. You're trying to help me, but.I just need to be alone for a while."  
  
Kami nodded and started off, but suddenly stopped. "Leina? There's something I need to tell you."  
  
She opened her eyes and stared curiously. "What?"  
  
He sat down on the bed and pulled her down next to him, taking a deep breath. "This is going to be very difficult for me, Meleina. Very difficult. I don't enjoy naming my faults so openly, but.you need to know this." He met her gaze. "Your stay here has been for no reason." He spread his hands. "You could have left at any time."  
  
"I have no way to get off, Kami," she growled, knowing where this conversation was going.  
  
He fidgeted, then shrugged. "We had a working craft in its final stages of completion when you arrived. We finished it.many months ago, but I didn't tell you. I suppose I didn't want to tell you because I knew you would leave. I didn't want that. You'd quickly become a part of our society, and we would have greatly missed you. But.you can have that craft, if you want it now." Meleina closed her eyes again.  
  
"Kami.This is big." She smiled. "This means that I can find my brother, Kami."  
  
6 "Quickly now.go find him."  
  
"Hey, Kami? Thanks for everything. I'll be back as soon as I find Kakarot, I promise."  
  
"I know you will, Leina. Good journey." She smiled, and embraced the Namek a final time.  
  
Meleina worked the controls of the unfamiliar ship toward the remains of Planet Vegeta. It was the only place she knew her little brother had ever been, and it was as good a place as any to begin her search. Besides, she wanted to get the full picture of what that blasted Frieza had done to her people, and the only way she knew how was firsthand: go back home.  
  
She gazed down at the fragments of the broken planet, remembering fondly the many happy times that she had spent there. It hadn't been gone long; she felt its energy still somewhat alive. She saw Frieza's vessel in the distance, but steered clear of it. She wanted to have a rational mind when she killed him, and she knew that if she attacked now she would lose it completely.  
  
Meleina clenched her fist and hissed to the destroyed planet, "I will avenge you, and all those who died because of Frieza. I promise you this till the day that I die." Something flecked across the screen of her craft and she worked the controls to snag it and bring it in. It was a small piece of fabric, an armband or headband, or something along those lines. It appeared that there was nothing special about it- but then she picked it up. The second she touched it, she felt the deep life force of her father and his good friend Taura floating off it. She squeezed it, then wrapped it around her head. "I will always remember," she growled, then turned the ship to head away from the planet. She remembered from Frieza a list of some of the weaker planets that a Saiyan infant could destroy. Might as well start searching those. 


	7. Reunion

Disclaimer: Don't own DBZ, don't own FUNi, don't make money.  
  
  
  
1 Many years later  
  
She landed on Kindarith, a small planet filled with much life- so much that it almost flooded her senses. Energy was everywhere, and she had to shut off her scouter to keep it from exploding from the data entry. She gazed around, opening her mind for an energy strong enough to belong to a Saiyan, and smiled as she felt it. She took off quickly, hoping to catch up to the energy before it could escape. As she got closer, she realized that it was not her brother as she had thought, but instead a familiar presence that she could not name.  
  
Three blasts of energy fired up at her, but she easily dodged and landed on the ground.  
  
"What?" She looked at the shorter two Saiyans and blinked in shock.  
  
"Just my luck," she sneered. "I find out that there are more Saiyans alive, and they happen to be Raditz and Vegeta and.somebody not important enough to name." She had seen the tall Saiyan somewhere, she just couldn't place him. He stepped forward aggressively and raised his hand.  
  
"Relax, Nappa," Vegeta snorted. "No need to waste your energy on her." He glared sharply at Meleina. "You're not dead, then. Well, I did have my doubts. Zarbon always was an incompetent fool."  
  
"You should know," she replied shortly. "And no, I'm not dead. In fact, I believe I'm quite alive and well."  
  
"Not for long," Raditz growled.  
  
"Don't start with me, brother, I'm not in any mood for you today. I'm looking for Kakarot. Do you know where he is?"  
  
Raditz gave her a sharp look. "How do you know about Kakarot? You weren't on planet when he was born."  
  
"No, I wasn't. I'll just say that I heard a rumor from a very reliable source."  
  
Vegeta interrupted. "So what are you doing here, low-level? Come to search for your betters?"  
  
"Didn't I already mention that I was looking for Kakarot?" She turned to the Prince and shook her head. "And your father always complained about low-levels being stupid. Honestly, you're far less intellige- argh!" She broke off her sentence with a gurgled shout and fell to her knees. Sticking out of her back was a huge knife- and a familiar one at that. "Raditz," she choked. "It's not enough.to.to chop off.my tail?"  
  
"No, it certainly isn't, little sister. You're far too strong to be kept alive, and I've always wanted to kill you myself. I hope you enjoy your death, I know I will." She grimaced and squeezed her eyes shut against the pain. Raditz bent over her and patted her on the head. "No worries, Mel, I'm sure it'll be fast enough. Pity I can't stick around, but I have to go find Kakarot."  
  
"You.know.where.he.is?"  
  
"Yes, darling sister, I do. He's on a planet called Earth- or should be, at least."  
  
Meleina glared at him. "What will you do when you find him? Kill him, too?"  
  
"If need be." Raditz climbed into his Pod and laughed at her. "Goodbye forever, little sister!" Meleina watched as his Pod made its way to space, then turned to Vegeta and Nappa. Nappa was smirking, but Vegeta looked worried. He pulled the knife out of her back- painfully- and threw down a rag to the ground. It had been soaked in a healing agent- a weak one, she was sure, but it would have to do. She tried to reach back and put it on her wound, but the movement hurt horribly.  
  
"Help.?" she managed to whisper.  
  
"I'm afraid this is where my kindness runs out," Vegeta said with a slight chuckle. "If you weren't my sister's friend, I wouldn't have even given you this much help. Lucky for you, eh?"  
  
Nappa smirked, then bent down and patted her on the back- right atop the knife wound. She forced the scream down, and rolled onto her back to spit in his face. He drew his arm back, but Vegeta growled to him, "Nappa, let's go. She's as good as dead, anyway." He threw the knife down by her head, and she forced herself not to flinch.  
  
"I'll remember your wonderful kindness, Vegeta," she snarled. "You'd better hope that I do die."  
  
"Not to worry, you will. Infection will set in soon enough. Enjoy the rest of your life- I hope the animals don't eat you alive."  
  
Meleina watched them take off through the woods, running to get as far away from her as possible. As soon as she was healed, she vowed, she would catch up to them. She stretched her arm and felt the pain shoot up her back. Vegeta was right; infection would be setting in soon. She grabbed the rag and forced herself to twist her arm around, gasping and choking with pain as she placed the rag on the wound. She set it down gently on her back, then pulled her arms back out in front of her, closing her eyes against the stinging burn she felt. She fell into a troubled sleep, filled with nightmares about a familiar looking young man who called himself Goku.  
  
When she awoke the next day, she was certain her dreams were brought on by the terrible fever wracking her mind. She staggered to her feet and clutched her head. Her back had pretty well healed, but she was unaccustomed to sleeping outside on the ground, and had contracted some sort of disease. She knew she needed water, but she felt too weak to move. She leaned against a nearby tree and squeezed her eyes shut, willing the fever away. As she focused, the image of her friend Kami flitted through her mind, and she smiled and focused on healing herself to fulfil her promise to him. She forced herself to ignore the pain and followed a game path in the woods to a river. She didn't know how safe it would be to drink, but she knew that the only way to reduce the fever was with water, so she drank. When she had her fill, she lay back down on the ground and looked up at the sky. She smiled faintly. It was a beautiful planet she had to admit. She wondered what the people who lived here had been like, then decided it didn't really matter- she would never find out. She closed her eyes and slept again.  
  
For the second night in a row, her mind was filled with dreams about the strange warrior named Goku, only tonight they were different somehow. There was a little boy.a little boy with a ball on his head and a tail.and Raditz. In her dream, Raditz was threatening to kill the little boy.was kicking him, and powering up to finish him off.  
  
She jerked awake in shock. "It must be something in the water," she grumbled, but put a hand to her head. She didn't feel feverish anymore, but she couldn't explain that strange dream. Why would Raditz want to kill a fellow Saiyan when there were so few left in the universe?  
  
She shook her head. "It's gotta be the water." She stood up and smiled. "Yeah, definitely the water. I don't know how it would make me feel so much better, though. The water back home never healed me like this." She turned in the direction Vegeta and Nappa had gone and took off at a run in that direction.  
  
Meleina kept careful track of the number of days (eighteen by her count; it would have been less if she'd been at full energy) she ran before she finally reached the clearing where Vegeta and Nappa had been. She was dismayed to discover that they had already left, but she vowed to hunt them down. She owed Raditz his death and Vegeta her life. She hurried back to her transport as fast as she could, then headed off-planet. In her transport, she used her mind to carefully think where the two Saiyans would be headed. Obviously they would want the biggest challenge they could get, and that left only a few planets. She programmed the transport for Doin. It would take about nine months to get there, she thought darkly. Too long. Way too long.  
  
Her landing was anything but smooth. It had been many years since she had destroyed an entire planet, and she found that the sight before her was incredibly sickening. As she gazed around, her scouter alerted her to a large power source. Wow, found them on the first try. I'm good. Why are they still here? By all rights they should have left by now. Ah, they're probably still celebrating that they brought down this dump. She grinned and took off in their direction.  
  
They were stopped in a small clearing, a fire roaring and eating dinner. She began to creep forward but stopped as she heard their conversation.  
  
"No. But then again.maybe we should." She frowned. What the devil was Vegeta talking about?  
  
"Are you thinking about what Raditz said?"  
  
"Yes. I want those Dragon Balls."  
  
"Would we wish Raditz back to life-?"  
  
"No, that would be a waste of a wish. We should wish for something grand.so how would you like to be immortal, my friend, and fight forever?"  
  
"That's a wish I could live with for the rest of my life."  
  
Meleina watched as they climbed in their Pods and took off. She bit her lip and frowned. Why did the phrase, "Dragon Balls" sound so familiar? She searched her memory and blinked in shock. Of course! Kami had mentioned Dragon Balls once, a long time ago. Yeah, she remembered now. When all the Dragon Balls were brought together, the Eternal Dragon was summoned, and whoever brought the Balls together would get any one wish granted. Meleina grinned at the thought. It would be so nice to get a wish granted.and she knew exactly what she wanted her father's life back.  
  
"Kill two birds with one stone, eh?" she said to herself. "Find Kakarot, and get Dad back. Earth could be very beneficial." She frowned. "Wait a minute, I thought Kami said the Dragon Balls were on Namek." She scratched her head confusedly. "Ah, well, I might as well go back and find out. I'm sure Kami will know what's going on."  
  
~*~  
  
She landed on Namek and looked around in surprise. Something was different about the planet, something was...missing. She strode into the familiar village where she had lived for the best year of her life with a warm grin on her face.  
  
Toilkj, one of the Namek children she had befriended came to greet her.  
  
"Wow, you grew up," Meleina said with a smile. "Time really flies, doesn't it?"  
  
"We're glad you came back home, Leina," Toilkj returned. "But confused."  
  
"I need to talk to Kami, Toilkj," she explained. "It's important."  
  
"I hope not a matter of life and death. Kami's gone, Meleina. He hasn't been here for many years. I would say.about twelve years after you left was the last time anyone's seen him."  
  
Meleina stared. "Where'd he go? Where is there for him to go?"  
  
Toilkj shrugged. "Nobody really knows. Look, Leina, Kami can take care of himself. Trust me, he's fine, wherever he is."  
  
Meleina bit her lip. "Darnit! Well.maybe you can help me. Toilkj, do you know anything about Dragon Balls?"  
  
Toilkj stared at Meleina. "Why do you ask?"  
  
"Because Vegeta and Nappa are going to Planet Earth to collect them and wish for immortality, and I could have sworn Kami said they were Namekian. I guess I was wrong," she added darkly, watching Toilkj squirm a little. "Unless you know something you're not sharing with me?"  
  
"Well.I know somebody who might be able to help you with that." He led the way to the home of a wise old Namek named Dindaoi. "Kami and Dindaoi talked about everything. If anybody knows anything about that, it'll be Dad."  
  
Meleina nodded. "Thanks, Toilkj." She smiled at the aged Namek. "Morning, Dindaoi. How are you?"  
  
"I've been better, Leina. Yourself?"  
  
She sat down and stared him in the eyes. "I'm afraid that I'm a bit confused, Dindaoi. Can you tell me where Kami is? I really need to talk to him, and Toilkj says he's not here, but that you might know where he is."  
  
"Ah, yes, Kami. I do indeed know where he is."  
  
"Can you tell me?"  
  
"I can tell you, certainly, but I doubt you'll be able to speak with him. I'm sure he's very busy." Meleina didn't respond, and Dindaoi continued, "He's on Earth."  
  
"Earth?" Meleina looked startled. How curious that Kami is where my baby brother is, she thought. "What's he doing there?"  
  
Dindaoi smiled. "He's become Guardian of Earth. It's a very grueling job, I'm sure you understand, but he was quite eager to take it. He'll make an excellent Guardian, though."  
  
"Guardian," Meleina repeated softly. "I suppose I won't be able to talk to him, then. Can you help me, I wonder? I want to find out about the Dragon Balls."  
  
"Mmm.now where did you ever hear about those?"  
  
"Kami mentioned them once, a very long time ago, but I never paid any attention. And recently.well, recently I heard about them from my brother Raditz."  
  
"How did your brother learn about them?"  
  
"Well.I was eavesdropping on a conversation, so I don't know the full details, but apparently there are some on Earth that are going to be used."  
  
"Ah, on Earth? Where Kami is? That explains how there are Dragon Balls there; that must be Kami's doing." He turned. "Tell me, young one, why are you so curious about the Dragon Balls?"  
  
Meleina ignored his question. "Is it true? That you get any one wish granted when they're brought together?"  
  
"Yes, any one wish you want. Why?"  
  
"These Dragon Balls are just what I need," she said, her eyes wide with anticipation. "If I can collect them, I can get Dad back! Thanks for your help, Dindaoi- what's that?"  
  
"What's what?" Dindaoi asked curiously.  
  
"I.I felt a bad energy.wow, that's not good." Meleina scratched her head. "It's on the other side of the planet." Her stomach hardened and grew cold. "If I didn't know any better." she whispered, but didn't finish her sentence. "I've gotta go find out what's going on," she said.  
  
"I'll come with you."  
  
"No, it's too dangerous. If I'm thinking right.it's just too dangerous." Her eyes darkened. "Besides, this is my battle. My time to shine, and show that freak that he messed with the wrong people."  
  
Dindaoi grabbed her arm. "Be careful, Meleina. Okay?"  
  
She smiled. "I'm always careful. But don't worry, I'm not going to go rushing in, not against these people. That's a suicide mission right there."  
  
Meleina flew at top speed, pausing twice to rest and eat. She knew she would need her full strength if she was going to bring down Frieza, but that didn't stop her from hurrying.  
  
A new day was dawning when she reached the tiny Namek village where Frieza was. She recognized instantly Zarbon, but wondered darkly where Dodoria was. Creeping around somewhere, probably, she thought. She eyed the group opposing Frieza's force, surprised to recognize Vegeta down there. She smiled faintly and shook her head. Of all the rotten luck, to be stuck fighting with him. She wondered vaguely if he knew that Frieza destroyed their planet, then realized that he probably did- why else would he be trying to kill Frieza?  
  
Meleina got down on her hands and knees and crept forward slowly. Something bad was going to happen; she knew it deep down in her stomach, and she never dared to second-guess her stomach. There was.something.she growled softly, wishing her hearing was better. Without warning, there was an attack on Frieza, and clear as day she heard deep in her head Frieza's thoughts. If I can't kill those weaklings, I'll just destroy the whole planet!  
  
Meleina froze, then brought a hand to her head. Impossible, she thought. How could I know what Frieza's thinking? But she knew that it was the truth; she had heard Frieza's thoughts.just as she had heard her father's dying thoughts. He's going to blow up Namek! She turned to run, then suddenly spun around and stared at the warriors. Wait a minute.that.he looks too familiar.could it be Kakarot? No, impossible, he doesn't have a tail. But.the resemblance to Dad is just too uncanny. She shook her head. Ah, Meleina, you're losing it, seeing Dad everywhere now. Just hurry up and get back to your ship.  
  
She didn't hesitate another second. So what if they know I'm here? What's it matter now? If I don't hurry, I'm going to be dead along with everyone else! She flew as fast as she could back to her transport, stopping along the way to yell that the Namekians were all in danger. Very few of them listened to her, and finally she reached the village where she had lived for a year. She dropped down, gasping for breath, nearly exhausted, and yelled for Dindaoi. When he came out, she told him that the planet was minutes away from being destroyed.  
  
He looked at her sorrowfully. "Then leave, Meleina. This is not your home, but it is ours. We choose to perish with home."  
  
Meleina stared at him, tears glimmering in her eyes. "But.Dindaoi.you'll be just like us.an extinct race."  
  
"Yes, Leina, I know." He waved a hand at the gathered Namekians. "We all know. But this is our home, and we cannot abandon it."  
  
Meleina looked down at the ground. "If that is what you want. I'll never forget you- any of you. You were some of the closest friends I've ever had, and I'm thankful for the time I've spent with you. You've taught me." She choked up, then swallowed and continued. "You've taught me a lot about myself."  
  
Dindaoi smiled. "You'd better hurry, or you'll die too."  
  
She lifted her gaze. "Thank you," she whispered, then raced at full speed to her ship. She took off from the planet and exited orbit as far back as she could, flinging herself deep into space without pausing to program her ship. Who knows where I'll end up, she thought darkly. At least I'm alive. That's something, isn't it? 


	8. Fhotherite and Happiness

Disclaimer: Don't own DBZ, don't own FUNi, don't make money.  
  
  
  
Meleina fell into a deeply troubled sleep. She was haunted by the memories of her close Namekian friends and the knowledge that they were all dead by now. Made even worse was the fact that she couldn't do anything to save them- or hadn't tried hard enough. She wondered if, deep down, she could have attacked Frieza and stopped him from destroying her new home. It disturbed her that she would never know; that she hadn't even tried to stop him.  
  
She awoke when her ship slammed into a planet. She groaned and stretched her cramped muscles, then opened the hatch and stepped out onto the ugly planet, nearly choking on the air. "Ugh, of all the places to land," she grumbled, looking around. The soil was a deep purple and red, mixed together in an ugly fashion that made Meleina wince. She had been to many different planets in her life, but this was by far the nastiest. The air was heavy and filled with sulfur, and the temperature was far hotter than she was used to. Along the terrain were many black marks that appeared to be the results of battles, though Meleina wasn't entirely certain- they could just be natural landforms on this ugly planet. She shook her head and turned back to her ship. "Well, at least I can program this thing and get away from here fast enough." She punched a few buttons on the computer, but scowled as nothing happened. "Hey, what kind of a sick joke is this?" She brought her fist down on the computer console, and again nothing happened. "Oh, please don't tell me this thing is broken down." She hit the computer once more, then groaned and sat down. "Great, now I'm stuck here. This is just what I need."  
  
She stalked angrily out of the ship and took off in quick flight toward the nearest city. When she arrived, she was even more sickened by the sights she saw. The city was filled with people, but not a single one looked even remotely friendly. And, she saw with dismay, most of them were men. Oh, that's even better. I get stuck in a scum-hole. One man came near her and she flicked her short tail a little bit. Any Saiyan would recognize the warning, but this fool most likely wouldn't. To her surprise, he froze, then backed off a bit. So he knows what a Saiyan is. Good, he'd better warn his friends not to mess with me.  
  
She walked confidently into the nearest bar and gazed around. Several people stared at her in shock, but she strode calmly up to the bartender. "I need a new ship, or at very least a transport." The bartender continued wiping down the counter without even glancing at her. She smiled. "Going to go 'bout this the hard way, are you?" She grabbed his shirt and slammed him into the nearest wall. "Where can I get what I need?"  
  
The bartender brushed himself off. "You really shouldn't have done that." He slammed a clenched fist down on the bar, and several people in bumblebee yellow shirts entered the bar.  
  
"Excuse me, miss, I'm afraid you'll be coming with us," the leader said coolly, then grabbed her arm.  
  
Meleina looked at him. "Let go of me," she said in a dangerously calm tone.  
  
"No, ma'am, I can't do that. Sorry."  
  
"This is your last warning. Let go of me." He turned to drag her out of the bar. She curled her lip and swung her leg to kick him in the side. He went down hard, and his companions took a battle stance. Meleina grinned. "Good, I've been looking for a good fight. However, I don't really have the time, so if any of you wants to give me the info I need, I'd be more than happy to get on my way and leave you happy folks alone."  
  
The yellow shirts glared at her. "I think not, lady. See, ain't nobody beats up one of us and gets away with it."  
  
One of the bar's patrons stood up. "Now, Rok, there's no need for all of this. I'll take care of the lady and get her out of here, no trouble. The Bees needn't worry about her anymore, unless you want to track her down once she's gone and get revenge." The man dug his fingers deep into Meleina's shoulder and pushed her out of the bar. "You're pretty tough, lady. The Bees are the toughest gang 'round here, and you came in and knocked out their leader. That takes guts."  
  
"I got plenty of those to go around. You got the information I need?"  
  
"Depends on what you need."  
  
"A fast, reliable ship, or a transport if you can't scrounge up a ship fast enough."  
  
The man shook his head. "You'll have to talk to Kieran 'bout that, lady. He's the best info guy you'll find on Fhotherite."  
  
"Fhotherite, eh? So this hole does have a name." The man chuckled. "So where can I find this Kieran?"  
  
"There's a landing pad 'bout ten miles north of here. He should still be there."  
  
"Great." Meleina took off without another word, getting the feeling that here, niceties were completely wasted. She landed on the pad and looked around, noticing nobody nearby. The ship before her was sleek and slender, and she found herself raising an approving eyebrow. She crept forward cautiously, then placed a hand on the ship. Instantly, someone grabbed her from behind and slammed her to the ground. She snarled and tried to kick her attacker, but felt an incredibly sharp, stinging pain in her tail as her attacker slammed his foot down on it. It was a stroke of pure luck and skill that she didn't scream, but she lay on the ground trembling with pain. Her attacker grabbed her by the hair, keeping one hand on the tiny bit of her tail to subdue her, and yanked her to her feet.  
  
"Nobody messes with my ship. What do you want?"  
  
Meleina winced. "Who are you?"  
  
There was a moment of silence, then, "The name's Kieran Treise. Who're you?"  
  
"Meleina. I came here looking for you. I need a transport off this planet. My ship crashed and I got stuck here."  
  
Kieran shoved her away. She staggered slightly, then regained her footing and turned to look at him. To Meleina, he was very Saiyan-like, though he lacked a tail. He stood about a head taller than she, with a shock of deep sea-green hair and golden-brown eyes. He was very muscular, but not in an overly strong type of way. Wow, he's actually pretty cute, Meleina thought, then quickly chased the thought out of her head. Anyone who would grab my tail like that is obviously a threat to me. "So where were you hiding? I didn't see you anywhere."  
  
He raised an eyebrow. "That's my little secret, now, isn't it?" He studied her. "So you're stranded here, eh? Might I ask what a classy lady like yourself wants here?"  
  
Meleina gave him a dirty look. "It wasn't by choice, believe me. Can you help me or not?"  
  
"Give me a few days. I might be able to scrounge something up."  
  
"I don't want a scrounge job, I want a good, reliable ship. I don't' want something that's going to break down halfway to my destination, get where I'm coming from?"  
  
"Sure do. I'll warn you, good ships don't come cheap."  
  
Meleina stopped. "Cheap?" Oh no, I don't have any money! Great.  
  
Kieran chuckled coldly. "No cash, eh? Too bad. Guess I can't help you."  
  
"You slimy-" Meleina lunged at him, but he suddenly vanished. She froze and landed on her feet. "What the.?" He reappeared just to the left of where he had been standing. "What did you do, make yourself invisible?"  
  
"I can blend myself perfectly into any background I want. Creating, in effect, invisibility."  
  
"Must be an awfully handy trick," Meleina sneered.  
  
"Confuses poor fools like you, now, doesn't it?" He vanished again, then grabbed Meleina and slammed her against his ship. "Now listen to me, woman. You get me some money and I'll think about helping you out. Got it?"  
  
Meleina curled her lip. "I got it. I'll get you your money." She turned and stalked away angrily toward the town. How am I ever going to get enough money to pay this guy? It's gotta be expensive to get a good transport.even less to get a good ship. Darn. She walked into the cheapest looking hotel she could find and walked up to the manager. "How much for a room?" she asked.  
  
"That'll be twenty standard credits a night."  
  
"Right." She left quickly and sat down in the nearest ally. Never thought I'd be sleeping out in the street on any planet. She shivered against the wind, then glared out. I'll show these people that I can make money. I'll show them all.  
  
The next day, Meleina headed out into the city in search of work. She finally found a place willing to hire her- a cheap bar. She was almost fired ten minutes into the job for refusing to wear the outfit she was given.but managed to hold onto her position by blasting the costume. The manager didn't want trouble, so he let her wear her armor. After two hours as a waitress she found herself serving the table of Kieran Treise and some of his good friends. He recognized her instantly and started to laugh.  
  
"I guess you want off this place more than I thought, woman," he sneered. Meleina forced herself to ignore him and take his order. When he left, she growled darkly. Great, now he's going to be coming in here at every possible chance to laugh at me. It was many hours later when she finally got off work. She had asked for her first paycheck to be given to her in cash (her boss agreed when she created a small energy blast in her hand and threatened to destroy the bar), and had just barely enough standard credits to spend the night in the cheap hotel. I've got ten left over.at this rate I'll be dead by the time I can earn the money to buy a transport!  
  
She curled up in her bed to sleep, but couldn't keep the laughing face of Kieran out of her head. I'll show him, she thought, then smiled cruelly. I'll show that jerk just what I'm made out of.  
  
The next morning Meleina didn't head for work but for the landing pad where Kieran kept his ship. She didn't hesitate or even bother searching for him, but fired one of her most powerful energy blasts and blew it up. "Not a bad job now, was it?" she asked herself with a smirk. She turned to leave and walked straight into Kieran.  
  
"And I'm not going to do a bad job blowing you up, either, you little devil," he snarled, grabbing for her throat. She chuckled and activated her scouter.  
  
"Bring it on," she sneered, drawing back out of his reach. He vanished, but her scouter told her his exact position, and she fired an energy blast at him.  
  
"You wretch, you're cheating! Take that thing off!"  
  
"No, I don't think so."  
  
He reappeared and held his hands up. "Okay, fine. If you won't stop cheating, then I give up."  
  
She looked startled. "Excuse me?"  
  
"I give up! I'd offer you my ship, but.well, look at it!" He gestured and she turned. He vanished and reappeared right next to her, grabbing her tail and squeezing it.  
  
She fell to her knees in pain and cried out. "Talk about cheating! Ow, let go!"  
  
"I don't think so," he spat, punching her in the face. He clutched her tail tightly as he continued his merciless beating, finally knocking her into unconsciousness.  
  
~*~  
  
Meleina awoke in her own hotel room and sat up, confused. Was it all just a dream? She asked herself. She staggered to the bathroom and looked in the mirror. Nope, it really happened, she answered herself, gingerly touching one of the several bruises on her face. So how'd I get back here?  
  
She went back over to her bed and looked around, searching for some note of explanation and finding nothing but a piece of paper with a curious emblem on it. The emblem contained the initials K. T. colored in gold with silver outlining. She picked it up and frowned down at it curiously, then smiled softly. A guy who gives a beating like that then saves my life? What a soft, sentimental fool. But she tucked the paper into her pocket and headed to work, still smiling softly.  
  
She arrived at work ten minutes early, still smiling. Her boss greeted her angrily. "Where were you yesterday? I was counting on you to be here, and you didn't bother to show up?"  
  
"I was extremely ill," she said calmly. "I couldn't make it and I couldn't call. I'm sorry."  
  
The manager blinked in surprise. "You're.sorry?"  
  
"Isn't that what I said?"  
  
"Well, yes, but.oh, okay, fine. Get out there to work."  
  
Meleina smiled warmly. "Sure."  
  
Kieran came in to the bar alone and sat down at a small table in Meleina's serving area. Goody, has he come to mock me? She slid over to the table and forced a smile on her face. "Good morning, sir, can I help you?"  
  
He glanced up at her. "Sir, is it?" He gestured to her face. "Hard to believe you'd call me sir after I did that lovely job. I am sorry," he added softly.  
  
Meleina shrugged. "I've had worse."  
  
Kieran raised an eyebrow. "Somehow I find that hard to believe."  
  
"Oh?"  
  
"Yeah. You're awfully tough, but you don't know when to give it up. For people who've taken a good beating before, they know when people are going to explode and don't aggravate the situation any further. You.you don't do that. You just plow right ahead and hope for the best."  
  
"Is there something wrong with that?"  
  
"Nope." The door to the bar opened and a bird-like creature stepped in. "Get me some water, Waitress, and make it snappy." Meleina raised an eyebrow at his sudden attitude change and started to back off, but he grabbed her arm. "Staying at the same hotel tonight?" Meleina nodded. "I'll drop by after you get off work."  
  
"Sure," she said with surprise. The bird being grabbed her arm.  
  
"Out of my way," he spat, then sat down across from Kieran. Meleina bit her lip and nodded.  
  
"My deepest apologies for being in your way. Can I get you something?"  
  
The bird turned. "You can go away now, and I think that's about it. But thank you for your kindness," he sneered. Meleina huffed and moved on to another table, but kept half an ear on Kieran and his visitor.  
  
"So, bounty hunter," the bird said shortly, "Have you discovered anything about these beings yet?"  
  
"Not yet, but I'm searching."  
  
"That waitress over there, she looks like one of them. Have you gotten anything from her? She seems to know you."  
  
"She couldn't possibly be a Saiyan. Did you see what I did to her face?" Meleina straightened her shoulders. "No Saiyan could receive a beating like that, they're too strong."  
  
"She has a tail, bounty hunter, or did you not notice? That's a Saiyan trait."  
  
"Marioa, did you even take a close look at the tail? It's way too short to be Saiyan."  
  
"What about the armor, eh?"  
  
"A lot of people wear armor like that, Marioa."  
  
"Look, bounty hunter, I want every last one of those Saiyans dead. You find out if she's a Saiyan, and if she is, you kill her and bring me her head. Those Saiyans deserve to die for what they did to my people." Meleina winced. That sounds awfully familiar.  
  
"Okay, I'll find out if she's a Saiyan. And if she is, I'll kill her. If not, then we're all happy."  
  
Marioa looked at Kieran through slitted eyes. "You do that, bounty hunter. You do that." The bird stood up, took one last glance in Meleina's direction, and walked out of the bar.  
  
Meleina walked into the back room and glared at her boss. "I ain't feeling well, I need to head out. I do need to get pay for today, though." When he tried to protest, Meleina gave him a sharp look. "I need to buy new clothes and pay my rent. If I don't get my pay right now, I won't be able to do that and I'll come to work looking even shabbier. Do you really want that?" He grumbled darkly, then gave her the pay. "Thank you kindly."  
  
Meleina didn't go back to her hotel right away, she stopped at a clothing store and bought a new outfit. Her tail was quickly becoming a problem on this planet. She was sure everybody knew by now that her tail was her weakest point, and that bird person employing bounty hunters to come after Saiyans didn't make her feel comfortable. She returned to her hotel room after quickly purchasing the first outfit she saw that fit her. She hurried into the bathroom, removed her armor, and wrapped her tail as far around her waist as it would go before putting on the new shirt and pants. This sure isn't comfortable, she thought darkly.  
  
She sat down on the edge of her bed to mull over what she'd heard earlier. So Kieran is a bounty hunter and he's searching for Saiyans. He either thinks I'm not a Saiyan or knows I am and was trying to cover for me. But why would he try to cover for me? He must think I'm not a Saiyan. She sighed. And he's coming over today. Great, that's just what I need.  
  
She stood up and went back into the bathroom to look herself over in the mirror, making sure her tail wasn't at all visible through the deep red clothing she wore.  
  
~*~  
  
An hour later there was a knock on the door. Meleina opened it and Kieran smiled faintly. He had changed from his normal pale green trousers and shirt to a navy blue outfit. "Come in," Meleina said, stepping out of his way. He made his way in almost nervously, and Meleina kept a careful gaze trained on him.  
  
They stood in silence for several seconds before he finally said, "Nice place."  
  
Meleina snorted. "Cut the small talk. Why'd you really come here?" She curled her lip. "Come to find out if I'm a Saiyan, bounty hunter?"  
  
He raised an eyebrow. "You are a Saiyan, I know that. I'm not entirely stupid."  
  
"So why'd you-"  
  
"I told Marioa that you weren't because I didn't want to have to turn you in. I think you and me could work very well together, you know. You're tough and smart, and I'm tough and not as smart, and we could work well together."  
  
Meleina raised an eyebrow. "A partnership? And what would I get out of it?"  
  
"Well, once we got enough money to be a new ship, a transport off this rock." Meleina bit her lip. The offer was tempting. "You'd have a nice place to stay- my pad's much nicer than this dump- good food to eat, and clean clothing."  
  
"How do we get the money to buy a new ship?"  
  
"Well.you are a Saiyan, aren't you?" Meleina met his gaze and read in his eyes the plan he'd created.  
  
"You bring me in for the bounty and I escape?" She cocked her head. "How do I know that you won't take the money and run?"  
  
Kieran shrugged. "I guess you'd just have to trust me."  
  
Meleina stared him straight in the eye for several seconds, and he met her gaze. She saw no deception in his features, and she nodded. "I'll warn you once: if you betray me, you won't live to regret the decision."  
  
Kieran chuckled. "A true Saiyan." He pulled a pair of handcuffs from his pocket. "Let's go."  
  
"You knew I was going to agree to this stupid idea all along, didn't you?" She sneered. "Or do you always carry those with you?" Kieran gave her a sharp look, and she laughed.  
  
"I figured you really wanted out of here so you'd agree."  
  
Meleina held out her hands and grimaced. He knows me pretty well, doesn't he? Kieran snapped the handcuffs on her wrists loosely and smiled. "I think this partnership is going to work out nicely. Wouldn't you agree?"  
  
"We'll see about that," she grumbled, feeling slightly degraded. "I can't believe I let myself be caught by a bounty hunter."  
  
Kieran smirked. "Let's get going. The sooner I turn you in, the sooner we can collect pay."  
  
He led her to another hotel down the street. This one was much grander in style, and obviously made for the filthy rich. Marioa was sitting on a tiny bed, and he looked extremely pleased when Kieran pushed Meleina in. "So she is a Saiyan, eh? Well, well." He pulled out a wallet of money and handed it to Kieran. "Leave her here, bounty hunter, and get started searching for more Saiyans. I want all the rest."  
  
Meleina decided to play her part out right, and she sneered. "Good luck searching. We're all dead now, I'm the only survivor. Pity, you won't be able to get your revenge for us killing all your people. Boo hoo."  
  
Marioa backhanded her and snarled. "Oh, I'm sure that many of you survived. I'm not going to stop my search until I'm sure you're all dead."  
  
"You'll be looking for a long time."  
  
"This is all well and good, but I need to get going if I'm going to continue my hunt. Until later, Marioa," Kieran said shortly. He strode out of the room, leaving Meleina alone with Marioa.  
  
She smiled viscously at him, then yanked her hands out of the cuffs. "Oops, look at what I did," she grinned.  
  
Marioa froze and stared at her darkly. "How.what.?"  
  
"You didn't honestly think that those little handcuffs were going to hold me for long, did you?" She shoved him up against the wall. "Now, you listen to me. I won't even hit you if you agree to let me go and not hunt down any of my fellow Saiyans."  
  
"Yes.anything."  
  
"Good. I'll warn you, Marioa, if I catch wind of you going after any Saiyans ever, you'll be mighty dead. Understand?"  
  
"Y-yes," he squeaked. Meleina smiled and patted him on the cheek.  
  
"Good lad. Ta-ta now."  
  
She smirked. Out with a bang now, she told herself with a grin. Meleina smashed the window of his room and jumped out of it, catching herself easily before hitting the ground. She ran the rest of the way to Kieran's pad, glad they had actually pulled it off. Kieran saw her coming and waved. "That was faster than I expected."  
  
"I didn't want to be stuck there any longer than necessary. Besides, Marioa is a coward. The minute I got out of my handcuffs he became a blubbering little fool."  
  
Kieran smiled. "I made plenty of money of that little job. Got about half of what we'd need to buy a good ship. And you should have some from your job at the bar-"  
  
"Nope, spent it all on this outfit," she said, tugging at the sleeves. "I didn't have that much anyway. I came here completely broke."  
  
"Why would you travel without any money? It doesn't make any sense."  
  
Meleina snorted. "I wasn't traveling, it was an accident that I came here."  
  
Kieran looked at her. "So if you weren't traveling, what were you doing?"  
  
"Originally? Looking for my little brother. After that I was trying to find an old friend, then trying not to get blown up when I came here."  
  
Kieran raised an eyebrow. "I'm not even going to ask. You must have found your brother, though. Why else would you be here?"  
  
"Not yet. He's somewhere across the galaxy, that's why I need a good ship." Meleina sat down inside the pad and looked around. "For a ship storage, this place is really nice."  
  
Kieran stared. "Ship storage?"  
  
"Yeah. This is your pad, right?"  
  
He snorted back a laugh. "You've got a lot to learn about the galaxy, girl. First things first: a pad is what a lot of us low-class folks call living spaces."  
  
Meleina looked around again. "That explains the bed, I suppose." She looked up at him. "You're a low-class person?"  
  
Kieran put a hand to his head and laughed. "Most of the people here are, Meleina. Or maybe you didn't notice the trashy city?"  
  
"No, I noticed it, but I thought that the planet was trash for a reason- the natural inhabitants thriving on trash, for instance. I guess I was wrong."  
  
"You really don't belong here at all, do you?"  
  
"If this a low-class place, then I guess I do belong here. I'm one of the lowest-class Saiyans."  
  
"Coulda fooled me," Kieran muttered under his breath, but Meleina heard and smiled. "So, we gotta find a way to make another five thousand credits. Your job isn't going to make that much, especially with you having to pay rent and that kind of thing- hey, wait a minute. You could just move in here, then you wouldn't have to worry about rent."  
  
Meleina eyed him apprehensively. "Move in here? With you?"  
  
"What, does that make you nervous?"  
  
She bit her lip and looked around again. This place is nicer than that hotel.and I could afford to live here, and get off here soon enough. "Sure, why not? I'll move in. I just need to grab my armor and pay for last night's rent. It shouldn't take me very long." She hurried back to the hotel and gathered her armor in a bag to carry easier. She paid the rent- the hotel owner seemed more than happy that she was leaving- and flew at full speed back to Kieran's pad.  
  
~*~  
  
A month passed with her job as a waitress at the cheap bar paying for the necessary food and clothing items she and Kieran needed. She didn't resent the fact that she was paying for him to live- after all, she was living in his home, and besides, she liked that he depended on her for life. It made her feel strong and semi-independent.  
  
She came home late one night to find the pad pitch black except for a small table set with two candles. She went over to the table curiously, surprised by the fine silverware and dishes. It looks like Kieran's really outdone himself this time, she thought with a smile. Hands suddenly slid around her head to cover her eyes and she heard a voice say lightly, "Guess who?"  
  
"Kieran?" He pulled his hands away and turned her around. "Whoa, why are you dressed up?"  
  
He fidgeted, and she grinned. He wasn't really dressed up, not the way she was used to the term, but he wore an outfit that didn't have a single dirt spot on it, and that classified as dressed up for Kieran. "It's our one month anniversary. Of working together," he added quickly, and she noticed a blush spread along his cheeks. Kieran? Blushing? Now what's wrong with this picture?  
  
"Okay, what's really going on here?" she demanded, glaring at him.  
  
"Nothing's going on!" he exclaimed.  
  
"I don't buy that."  
  
He smiled broadly, then suddenly pulled her into his embrace and kissed her softly. Completely shocked, she nearly shoved him away but caught herself in time and leaned into his embrace.  
  
When they finally drew apart, she was highly embarrassed and surprised to find that she had actually enjoyed the kiss. He smiled at her curiously. "So?" he asked, bursting with energy.  
  
She turned her back on him. "Are you trying to send me a message?" she asked coyly. "Here's one from me: wow."  
  
He hesitated. "Wow good, or wow bad?"  
  
She turned and grinned. "Good. Very good." She poked him in the shoulder. "What made you do that?"  
  
He shrugged. "I've wanted to for a while now, but I forced myself to wait until our one-month anniversary."  
  
She rolled her eyes. "Just because we're celebrating being in business for a month doesn't make it any more special, you know."  
  
"So it was special?"  
  
She slipped her arms around his neck. "Yeah, Kieran, it was special. Nobody's ever kissed me like that before." She paused. "Actually, nobody's ever even kissed me before." She met his tender gaze. "I'll never forget it," she added softly, then kissed his cheek gently.  
  
~*~  
  
After that night, she and Kieran decided to officially begin dating. She was surprised by her own willingness to be drawn into a relationship, though she did often wonder about life without Kieran, and held several doubts about the relationship (what would Dad have said? Me, with a non- Saiyan? He would have ignored me for the rest of my life!). For the most part, though, they were both quite pleased to spend as much time as possible with each other.  
  
Meleina could remember one afternoon when she had overheard Kieran explaining to a friend of his why he had begun dating, and she would never forget the reply. "You think there's no such thing as a perfect woman, but I know differently. Meleina is smart, and sharp, and intelligent, and sassy, and just my type."  
  
"You forgot drop-dead gorgeous," his friend had pointed out with a smirk.  
  
"Yeah, but that one's not as important. No, I think what really draws me to her is the way she acts around me."  
  
Meleina always smiled at the memory of that conversation. It was something she would never forget; another quirk about Kieran that she had discovered as she got to know him better and better: he was very open with his emotions around his friends, and he always told people what was on his mind.  
  
She looked out of the window of the pad to the city where Kieran had gone to work. He had told her a few weeks ago that they only needed a thousand more credits, certainly if they were both holding a good, steady job they could get those credits more quickly. Between food, clothing, and rent space for the pad, it had taken nearly a year to collect four thousand credits toward a ship, but Meleina was beginning to have doubts about wanting to find her little brother. She had a good life here, a happy life with Kieran. He was very kind to her when he wanted to be, but he could be every bit as Saiyan in attitude as she was. It was the kindness that struck her as his best feature, and she knew that her brother wouldn't have that kindness. He is a pure Saiyan, after all, sent to kill millions. He wouldn't know how to be kind. She had begun to thrive on Kieran's kindness and the kindness of the people in the city as they got to know her better. Her first reaction to the city had been wrong; she had figured it as a city with no rules and no loyalties, but she soon discovered that she was wrong. These people weren't her own, but they accepted her as a friend and strove to bring her into the community. She had made many valuable friends, people she could talk to about anything. In a way this community reminded her of Namek, although the people were a bit harsher and more like her.  
  
The door burst open and Kieran came in. He looked exhausted, and Meleina set a hand on his shoulder. "Hard day?" she asked softly.  
  
"It wouldn't have been so bad if I hadn't nearly been robbed," he grumbled.  
  
Meleina looked at him. "Why were you almost robbed? You don't have anything of value with you, you refuse to carry anything worth money."  
  
"Today was a little different." He smiled coyly and pulled something out of his pocket. "I bought this little beauty today."  
  
"You bought.? Kieran, I thought we were saving up for a ship! And if we still are, we don't have enough money to spend on extra things!"  
  
He scratched his head. "Rumor has it that you're starting to think you don't want to leave. Is that true, Meleina?"  
  
She sat down on the couch and sighed. "I'm really happy here, Kieran. Happier than I've ever been. I'm not sure I want to give it all up."  
  
"Maybe you don't have to. Look, we've got a lot of money, if we keep saving we can buy a good-sized home closer to the city and start a family." He took a deep breath, then exhaled slowly. "God, this is so nerve- wracking."  
  
"Kieran?" Meleina asked uncertainly.  
  
He grabbed her hand. "Open up that package, Mel, take a look inside it."  
  
She gave him a blank look but did as she was told. Inside were two identical silver chains, each with a dark red ring. She picked up one ring with trembling hands and looked down at it. "Meleina and Kieran Treise," she read in a whisper, then picked up the other ring and read the same thing. "Kieran, do you know what this is?"  
  
"Yeah," he said with a slow nod. "I did my homework and looked up how Saiyans propose to each other. There wasn't a lot of information, but I think I got it right."  
  
Meleina looked up at him. "Kieran.I don't know what to say."  
  
"How about yes or no?"  
  
She laughed and hugged him. "Yes, Kieran. Definitely yes." She bit her lip and slid the chain around her neck. It's weight felt reassuring, and her smile widened. "Wow," she whispered, then laughed and hugged him again.  
  
"Are you up to starting a family? I know Saiyans aren't much into the family deal, but.well, I've always wanted kids."  
  
Meleina wiped her eyes and nodded. "I don't think I'm too much a Saiyan anymore, Kieran. I'd love to have a family."  
  
He kissed her cheek. "It's settled, then."  
  
She met his gaze. "Yeah, settled. I love you, Kieran."  
  
"I know, Mel. I love you, too."  
  
They legally married two months later, and continued saving to buy a nice house where they could raise their children. Meleina was four months pregnant with their first child when they settled a deal on a nice three- bedroom home with a huge yard. They moved in, and Kieran insisted that Meleina quit her job for her own health as well as the health of their kid.  
  
Meleina leaned contentedly against Kieran's chest while they watched the blazing fire in the stony fireplace. She sighed happily and set her hand on her slightly swollen stomach. The pregnancy was not easy or comfortable, and Meleina knew it was taking a toll on her husband as well. The very foundations of their marriage were being tested as Meleina's moodiness and temper increased daily and both husband and wife had spent many lonely hours questioning their relationship. Kieran had finally told her that they needed time away from each other to ride out their troubles. Meleina had felt terrible for the way she'd been treating her husband and tried to make it up to him by cooking dinner. She wound up burning a fair portion of the kitchen, then turned it completely white trying to put out the fire. Kieran had run in, terrified that she'd been hurt, took one look at the mess, then at his wife's horrified expression, and burst into laughter. Meleina had nearly slapped him, but decided that act alone might forge a permanent rift in their love, so she chose another option and laughed along with him. He took her out to a nice dinner and the two had retired to the fireplace in peace.  
  
Kieran set his hand on hers and smile. "What are we going to name him?"  
  
"Or her," Meleina pointed out. She smiled up at him, then gently kissed his chin. "I'll warn you now, though. Twins run common in my family."  
  
He smiled. "More to love, right?"  
  
She reached a hand up and stroked his cheek. "Right." She smiled softly. "I'm sorry for being such a jerk lately."  
  
Kieran pulled her closer. "Hey, you're pregnant. You deserve to be a jerk." She laughed and poked his knee.  
  
"Being pregnant is no excuse, darling." She grinned slyly. "Now, I'm afraid that I'm pregnant and can't move, could you by any chance get me something to eat?" she asked innocently. Kieran laughed and stroked her hair.  
  
"Being pregnant is no excuse, darling," he repeated devilishly. "I'll remember that."  
  
Meleina grinned. "I'm not really hungry, dear. You don't have to get up."  
  
"Good thing, too." He hugged her. "So, what are we going to name him? Or her? Or them, if it comes to that?"  
  
Meleina shrugged. "The names aren't really all that important to me, Kieran. I'm just happy that we're going to be having these kids. I figured that we'd burn that bridge when we came to it."  
  
Kieran smiled. "Good enough for me, love." He kissed her lips gently. "I love you, Meleina."  
  
She gave him a happy look. "I love you more."  
  
"I love you infinity times more."  
  
"I love you infinity times more plus one." They looked at each other, then laughed at the pure childishness of their conversation.  
  
"How the devil do you think we're going to raise kids if we keep acting like them?" Kieran wondered aloud.  
  
"That's what'll make us such great parents- the fact that we actually try to have fun and act like kids."  
  
"Oh, so now it's a good thing to act like a kid?"  
  
Meleina smiled. "Only around the kids, dear."  
  
Kieran met her gaze. "I do love you, Meleina."  
  
She touched his cheek and kissed him. "I know, dear. I love you, too."  
  
Meleina gave birth to twins to her pleasure and Kieran's horror. They were truly Saiyan; they had nasty tempers to go with their tails. They named the baby boy Vrail, in honor of Kieran's father, and the baby girl Reine. When Vrail and Reine were four, Meleina had another baby, a boy whom she named Ronan. That time period was very trying on the entire family, as Meleina nearly died giving birth. It was sheer will that pulled her through, though she spent a week in a coma and a month after awakening in the hospital Two years later she went back to work, insisting that Vrail and Reine were old enough to be left alone during the day with their baby brother. She and Kieran had fiercely argued over this point, finally deciding that they would be fine if left with one of Kieran's friends.  
  
When the twins turned seven, Meleina was promoted to manager of the small bar. She and Kieran went out alone that night to celebrate, Kieran saying fervently that after working there for so long, she deserved a promotion.  
  
Vrail and Reine were nine, Ronan seven, when Meleina thought again of her life as a Saiyan. She had heard rumors that day in the city of three strangers, all of whom had tails. One of the strangers kept hers wrapped around her waist the way Meleina sometimes did, though the stranger had a much longer tail. Meleina made a mental note to tell Kieran about the strangers when she got home. He had taken the day off to stay at home with the kids for father-kid bonding (she laughed at the statement and said that they were already close enough), but he insisted.  
  
She decided to take the afternoon off and head home to spend time with her family, so she sped as fast as she could. She cherished the time she spent with her husband and children, and left work early as often as she could to be with them more.  
  
She walked in the front door, announcing her usual, "Mom's home!" The first thing she noticed wrong was that there was no reply. Normally, even on days when Kieran was home, the kids would run to greet her. Maybe they're outside playing. Either that or Kieran took them to the city and forgot to tell me. She smiled as she looked around the house. That had to be it. As much as she loved him, she knew how forgetful he was when it came to mentioning her when he was taking off with the kids for a little while. She decided to clean up the house a little bit (undoubtedly, her four family members would have it pretty well destroyed by now). She strode into the entertainment center where the children kept their toys, expecting their games to be strewn all over the floor. She opened the door, then stopped dead and screamed, her hands flying to her mouth. She sank slowly to the floor as her vision swam dizzily. Lying on the floor in front of her was her family, husband and three children, all dead. Her husband had a hole through his chest, Vrail and Reine looked badly burned, and Ronan's head was craned at a sickening angle. She scrambled over to them and pulled Kieran into her lap, holding him tightly and sobbing loudly, willing him back to life. "Kieran," she choked. "Kieran!" She clutched him tightly to her chest, hoping that at any moment he would wake up and smile at her. She sat like that for several long hours until the terrible grief gave way to an even more terrible, piercing anger. Whoever did this had to still be on Fhotherite, she felt deep in her heart, and she vowed not to rest until her family's murderer was also dead. She raced outside and felt a deep energy flow through her. Of all the nights.the full moon! It had been many years since she'd even considered transforming, but tonight she didn't hesitate. She turned her gaze to the moon and stared at it, the familiar feelings coursing through her body as she transformed into the powerful Oozaru beast. By the time her transformation was complete, she had lost all sentient thought, her mind and body screaming for revenge. 


	9. The Decision of her Life

Disclaimer: The Decision of Her Life is based on events written by Astiome Debrator, but we traded fics so we could write in our characters point of view, so Astiome is the brains behind that operation! Also, I don't own DBZ and am in no way associated with FUNimation (sadly)  
  
Author's Note: It might help you to understand some events if you read The Reunion by Astiome Debrator. It'll help explain more about Socha. You'll probably also want to read Astiome's version of The Decision of her Life, because it'll help clear some things up (like why Goku stays on Earth at the end, and why he was on Earth in the first place). Sadly, Decision of her Life has not yet been posted, but look for it! Keep looking.keep looking.almost there! You'll also want to read all her other stories, just because they're so much fun!  
  
  
  
Meleina lost all sentient thought as her desire for revenge overwhelmed her. She transformed into an Oozaru swiftly, not hesitating but staring steadfastly at the moon. The second she was transformed completely, she felt the power swell in her and she turned to the city. They're there.the murderers are there! She let loose a loud roar that coupled as a blast of energy and watched with satisfaction as it hit a building. Several people jumped from the remainder of the building, but she ignored them. Forget the people, find the killers! Find them, kill them! Several people came running up as if to stop her, but she knocked them down with a swift stroke of her paw. She turned and bellowed loudly at the moon, then suddenly roared in pain as something incredibly huge plowed into her stomach. She cried out and clutched her stomach, and the beast flipped her onto her back. As she fell, she got a good glimpse of the beast: a huge, familiar- looking dragon. The dragon stood over her and spread its large wings, blocking all moonlight from Meleina. She felt herself begin to shrink and struggled to get free. The dragon held on tightly to her, not letting her move an inch until she was once again a Saiyan. She lay on the ground, unfocused, trying to regain her full senses. She had a brief sense of being moved, then suddenly everything went black.  
  
When Meleina awoke, the first thing she noticed was that she was in a hotel room. Three people surrounded her. One of them was completely green and reminded her of her old friend Kami in many respects. He was almost completely bald except for the black Mohawk on his head. Two small horns stuck out on either side of the Mohawk, and black whiskers hung from his lips. What struck her the strangest, however, was how wise and calm he looked.  
  
The other male was tall and muscular. He had black, spiky hair, and short pointed ears. His skin was a deep tan, and curious green eyes sparkled brilliantly at Meleina.  
  
Meleina turned her gaze to the final person, who grabbed her shoulder. "Meleina? Meleina, is that you?" Socha asked with excited anticipation.  
  
"Wha?" Meleina asked groggily, then suddenly recognized Socha. "You," she snarled, then punched Socha across the room. Socha hit the wall hard, and instantly the two men grabbed Meleina's arms while she struggled to get to Socha, her anger hard. Socha stood up, rubbing her head. "Let me go," Meleina demanded. Both men looked to Socha, who nodded. Meleina stared at Socha for several long seconds, then suddenly burst into tears as she watched her friend. The two men stepped out of the room, respecting the privacy of the women.  
  
"You're alive," Meleina finally managed.  
  
"Yes," Socha agreed. "I could say the same about you."  
  
"You could."  
  
"Why are you here, Meleina?" Socha asked curiously.  
  
Meleina shook her head. "Long story. I'm not in the mood to talk about it."  
  
Socha hesitated. "Why.why did you look at the moon tonight?"  
  
Meleina froze, remembering her dead family. "None of your business," she said harshly.  
  
Socha looked surprised, but didn't want to intrude on her friend's feelings. "Okay." She touched her friend's shoulder gently. "I hope in time you can tell me."  
  
Meleina glared at her, desperate to change the subject. "Where have you been all these years?"  
  
"Looking for my brother," Socha responded cautiously.  
  
"Why didn't you come to Frieza's ship? You knew he'd be there."  
  
"I tried. Frieza.welcomed me with a death sentence."  
  
"So you left me alone with that little snob."  
  
"I thought you were dead!" Socha exclaimed. The women eyed each other. "Did you see Vegeta get blown up?"  
  
Meleina shook her head. "No, I was on Namek at the time." She frowned. "When I heard about the planet, I thought you were dead."  
  
Socha looked away. "I ran."  
  
"You what?"  
  
"I ran," the princess choked. "When Frieza banished me to the planet, I knew something was going to happen, so I ran."  
  
Meleina shrugged. "That's nothing to be ashamed of. We have to look out for ourselves, you know."  
  
"You don't understand. I left my brother behind to be manipulated and used by Frieza!"  
  
Meleina glared at her, offended. "I wouldn't say we were being manipulated. It was voluntary."  
  
"I never could understand why you wanted to serve Frieza so badly. He was pure evil and used our race to further and promote his own power!"  
  
"It wasn't a matter of serving," Meleina explained patiently. "It was a matter of proving myself to, and as, the best."  
  
Socha smiled faintly. "To you, at least. I never thought of him as the best, though."  
  
"So.what have you been up to all this time?" Meleina asked cheerfully, finding herself relaxing in her friend's presence and managing to shove her dead family in the back of her mind.  
  
Socha laughed and told her, "I've been living on Earth with Vegeta and his family!"  
  
"You mean to tell me that your brother has a family?"  
  
"Yeah, and, amazingly enough, his wife is human. A person of Earth," she added in explanation.  
  
Meleina laughed loudly. "Who would have thought?"  
  
"Oh!" Socha said suddenly. "And get this! There's another Saiyan with a family of his own on Earth. You'll never guess who it is!"  
  
"Who?" Meleina asked curiously.  
  
"Kakarot!"  
  
Meleina's chin dropped and she felt a stabbing pain in her heart. "You.you mean you've seen my baby brother, all grown up?"  
  
Socha nodded, then explained about Goku's head accident and how sweet he was. "Wild, huh?" she said. "And he mentioned that he saw Radi-" She stopped, wondering just how far to take this conversation.  
  
"Raditz? He met up with Raditz?" Meleina's tone became dark.  
  
"Um.yes?" she offered tentatively. She knew that as much as Meleina hated Raditz, she also dearly loved her brother and would be saddened by his death.  
  
"That son of a.ooh, I hate him!" Socha gave her friend a stunned look, and Meleina explained. "When I was finally able to join Shorty, Nappa, and Raditz, Raditz tried to kill me! He was upset that I was held in a higher regard (although the three of them all hated me), and he stabbed me in the back! He tried to kill me, Socha! Cutting my tail was one thing, but stabbing me in the back is another, and he's my own brother, too! I'm telling you, your brother was ruthless, too. He and Nappa killed everybody on that planet. The only saving grace about Shorty was that he saved my life. They left me alone in the woods, thinking I'd die, but I didn't. I was going to attack Shorty and Nappa in the woods, but I left to pursue my own mission. If I ever see Raditz again, you can consider him as good as dead!"  
  
"I hate to tell you this, but he's already dead. He was killed off by Kakarot and a friend of his."  
  
Meleina looked angry for a second, then suddenly smiled. "Kakarot must be very strong, then."  
  
Socha nodded. "Incredibly strong!" she blurted, then said secretively, "He's the legendary super Saiyan, Meleina!" Meleina's jaw dropped. "He's way stronger than Vegeta, and Vegeta resents that fact every day of his life."  
  
Meleina smiled broadly, glad that the family strength had carried through. "Well, he is my brother, after all. It's no wonder he's so strong."  
  
A thought occurred to Socha. "Hey, Meleina? That personal mission you mentioned- was it before or after Frieza and the Ginyu force were killed?"  
  
"Frieza was defeated? Even the Ginyu force?" Meleina raised a curious eyebrow at her friend.  
  
"Yes, and again, it was done by Kakarot."  
  
Meleina felt a swell of pride in the brother she didn't know. "I never thought any Saiyan could be so strong.I'm glad Frieza's gone. I didn't plan to return to him anyway, even after I found the Dragon Balls," she mused aloud.  
  
"Fancy you should mention those."  
  
"How so?"  
  
"You just met the Eternal Dragon."  
  
Meleina looked startled. "You?"  
  
"No, heavens now! He was the green guy who just left."  
  
"Him? He doesn't look anything like the description of Shenron."  
  
"He's in a masked form."  
  
Meleina put a hand to her head and sighed. "Why's he on this hole?"  
  
Socha looked at her. "He's here to, um, destroy his evil brother, Tapla. He enlisted me and the other fellow, Adlteau, to help him. He turned me into a dragon permanently so I could help out, but until we need to fight Tapla, we're in biped forms."  
  
"Can Shenron still grant wishes?" Meleina blurted, thinking about her lost loved ones.  
  
"No, not until Tapla's defeated. Then he has to be reunited with the Dragon Balls and returned to the center of Earth."  
  
Meleina bit her lip. As much as she wanted to be alone, she needed Shenron to return to granting wishes. "I'll help you, then."  
  
Socha hesitated. "I don't know.I think it's too dangerous."  
  
"Do you think I'm weak?" Meleina exploded.  
  
Socha backed up a step, not wanting a full blast of Meleina's temper. "I didn't mean anything by it. I.I suppose you can come if you really want to."  
  
"Fine, then I suppose I will." Meleina calmed down. "I need Shenron to return to granting wishes."  
  
Socha gave her a curious look, but before she could say anything, Adlteau entered the room again. "Well, you two still have all of your body parts, so everything must be okay."  
  
"Just fine," Socha replied with a smile.  
  
"Well, Shenron and I are going to sleep on the couch tonight.more like, the high eternal dragon gets the couch, I get the floor. Oh well." He then left.  
  
Meleina looked at Socha, then giggled. "You like him. Don't blame you though, he is awfully cute."  
  
"You should see him as a dragon," Socha replied mischievously, and both laughed again.  
  
The two stayed up late, telling each other more about their lives. Meleina wasn't the least bit surprised to hear about Vegeta's attitude on Earth, and she laughed at how domineering and headstrong Bulma was. She thought they were perfect for each other. Socha told her all about Kakarot and his family. Meleina thought that Chi-Chi was the perfect wife for a Saiyan, although her pushing Gohan to study so much annoyed her. She was pleased to hear that Kakarot had two sons. She couldn't wait to meet her nephews. Meleina shared with Socha her life on Namek, and told her all about Kami.  
  
After a while, the two fell asleep. It was the first time in a long time that Socha was happy, and Meleina felt at peace after the death of her husband and children.  
  
They awoke early in the morning to a terrible hunger. Shenron and Adlteau realized the Deadzone hath no fury like two very hungry Saiyans, and assured them that the hotel had a free breakfast buffet. Despite the dirty appearance of the hotel, they actually had good food (although Meleina wondered if the entire reason behind the excellent food was that she knew the cook, and he didn't want to get her angry). Meleina and Socha almost ate the place bankrupt and were told not to return (in very calm tones so as not to anger either Saiyan).  
  
Meleina, Socha, Shenron, and Adlteau walked out of the building just as something crashed where the three dragon-beings had originally landed. "I sense a great power," Adlteau announced.  
  
"Yeah," Socha and Meleina agreed softly.  
  
They ran to where the ship landed and poked around it. Suddenly, an arm shot out and wrapped around Adlteau's neck. "No!" Socha screamed. "Shenron, release your magic from us!"  
  
As quick as he could, Shenron did, and they transformed back into dragons. The change took Adlteau's captor by surprise, and he dropped the dragon. Socha ran to him, holding his head up as he coughed, gasping for breath.  
  
"Shenron," the stranger's voice rumbled. The dust cleared and there stood a huge dragon. Tapla had arrived.  
  
Socha left Adlteau lying on the floor and stepped in front of Tapla. "So you are the unspeakable evil I have trained to defeat," she spat. "You disgust me, and I'm going to take you out!" With that, Socha lifted off the ground, forcing dust to fly up and was gone faster than Tapla could follow.  
  
Mighty roars of pain came from the sky and Meleina ran to Adlteau, who was still wheezing on his side. "He crushed his throat," she told Shenron. "But it will regain its shape in a while. He'll live." Meleina helped lift the massive dragon's head to make it easier for him to breathe.  
  
Up in the air, Socha made vicious attacks at the other dragon. She hadn't any need for a blast yet, and used her jaws to tear at Tapla's red skin. "My quarrel is not with you, young dragon, it is wish Shenron," Tapla roared.  
  
"Well, my quarrel is with you," she growled in reply, "and by the time I'm done with you, there won't be enough of you left to touch Shenron."  
  
She charged at him, but in one swift move he turned and grabbed her by the neck. His mighty claws bore into her neck. The only thing protecting her from death was the hard plates that lined her neck. He made the mistake of exposing his belly to her and she immediately breathed an energy blast into it. Tapla released his grip from her neck and wailed in agony. Socha flew back, then shot another blast from her mouth. It hit him hard on the arm and he fell further back. She shot another, then another, until he had hit the ground. She waited. The planet created too much dust and it made it hard to see him.  
  
Adlteau began to recapture his breath. He caught sight of Socha, bleeding intensely from the claw wounds. He leapt to the sky. Shenron stood aside, and Meleina looked at him in frustration. "Why aren't you helping?"  
  
"It is not my place to interfere with their battle," he boomed. Meleina watched the sky, and in a frustrated fury flew up after Adlteau.  
  
The dust cleared. Meleina looked tiny, floating next to the two massive dragons. Tapla began to move in the dust. Meleina removed the shoulder and leg guards of her armor for increased mobility. She threw them carelessly to the ground, then clenched her fists and flicked her tail before wrapping it back around her waist- a Saiyan threat of battle.  
  
The three posed, ready to strike. Tapla stopped shifting. Despite his limp body, they didn't relax their guard. After at least ten minutes of Tapla lying there not moving, they began to wonder.  
  
"That was too easy," Socha boomed. Meleina and Adlteau nodded in agreement.  
  
They relaxed somewhat and remained there for at least another two hours, ready for a sudden ambush, when Shenron called them down.  
  
"He is indeed dead, I no longer feel his life force," the mighty dragon announced.  
  
"How could this be?" Adlteau asked. Socha slinked up to the body, cautious. The burns from her blasts had charred the red scales. His mouth was gaping and his claws were limp. She nudged the monster with her nose, and the entire body crumpled to ash and fell. Socha stepped back. A wind blew the black dust away.  
  
"Maybe that's why this place is so dusty," Meleina tried to joke feebly, then frowned. "There's something not right about this."  
  
"Indeed," Shenron agreed. "He is much too strong to be defeated with such ease."  
  
"There's something else bothering me, but I can't place it." Meleina thought hard for a few seconds, then suddenly snapped her fingers and pointed to Tapla's ship. "Why does a dragon need a ship to fly through space?"  
  
The crumpled ship began to rise. A colossal craft lifted out of the ground; Tapla's ship appeared to be only the tip of it.  
  
The rumbling stopped and the dust cleared. They looked up at the mighty ship. A door opened from the side and lowered itself to the ground. From the top of the ramp, the four could make out odd shapes that headed towards them.  
  
The creatures descended the slope and walked right up to them. They were nothing like anything Socha or Meleina had ever seen. Each stood, at highest, five feet tall. There were four of them; one looked like a standing crocodile, one like a komodo dragon, a basilisk, and a turtle. Meleina turned away to hide her laugh. The basilisk turned to Socha, whose wounds were now sealing.  
  
"I'd like to thank you for finishing off Tapla for us, though we could have handled it ourselves. You are our kin, so we will spare your lives." He looked at Meleina. "But the mammal must die." His companions nodded behind him, eyeing Meleina.  
  
Adlteau turned his gaze to Socha, who had a look of utter confusion on her face, and Meleina, who was having trouble not laughing.  
  
The turtle lifted an eyebrow. "Ah, you underestimate our power, yes?" He looked at the crocodile and nodded. The scaly creature turned toward the small trading city, off in the distance now. He lifted his hand in its direction and released a blast that destroyed it in a single blow. Meleina felt a stabbing pain in her heart as she realized that more of her friends were now dead.  
  
"How dare you take innocent lives like that," Adlteau snarled, stepping forward.  
  
"I wouldn't do that, dragon," the basilisk hissed.  
  
Adlteau growled deep in his throat and pawed viciously at the ground, threatening them. The komodo dragon looked at him curiously.  
  
"Give us the mammal and we will leave you in peace," the basilisk ordered, pointing at Meleina.  
  
Socha rushed forward. "Who are you to demand us your wishes? Where did you come from?"  
  
The basilisk bowed. "I am Lord Silack, and these are my warriors. I come from my kingdom to rid the rest of the universe of warm-blooded creatures and anyone who dares defy me."  
  
Meleina finally lost it and burst into laughter, angering Lord Silack.  
  
"Silence, fool!" he screeched.  
  
"But this is so stupid!" She stopped laughing to gather breath. "You've come across the galaxy to get rid of mammals? That has got to be the worst excuse for destruction I've ever heard, and I've heard some really bad ones!" She held her stomach and continued to roar with laughter, and Socha joined her.  
  
"That's it!" Silack yelled angrily. "Boda!" he snapped to the turtle. "Show them what we do to those who resist us." Boda ran into the ship. Silack crossed his arms and smirked at the opposing group.  
  
Boda returned pulling a resistant captive. He prodded him with an electric stick. The creature wailed in pain and followed. Their captive stood at least eight feet tall, but that wasn't what surprised Socha. He was an erect wolf with fur matted and sliced as if it had been whipped. He had spiky yellow hair and wore nothing but a tattered pair of shorts.  
  
"On your knees!" Boda demanded. The creature curled his lips back, but an electrical prod made him obey.  
  
"Tell them, Korishico, what we do to those who resist us," Silack hissed.  
  
The wolf bared his teeth. He looked at Silack as if ready to kill, then looked at Boda holding the electric prod and let out an awful sigh.  
  
"We are beaten into submission, oh great lord," he droned. "We are to know the mighty power of the universe before we die."  
  
"Good, Korishico. You are closer to the release of your awful, useless, warm-blooded life." Content with his demonstration, Silack waved Boda to return the wolf to the ship.  
  
Adlteau couldn't stand it anymore. He let out a mighty roar and charged at the four reptiles.  
  
While Boda turned his attention to the sudden attack, Korishico took the opportunity to escape. He combined his fists and cracked them into the back of Boda's neck, knocking him out. He pulled the metal restraint around his neck off, then ran back to the ship.  
  
Adlteau opened his jaws to grab Silack, but met the crocodile instead. It extended its hand and let off the same blast that had destroyed the city. Socha intercepted it and swallowed the energy. Adlteau acknowledged the attack, then rushed after Silack. Socha regurgitated the attack twice as powerful toward the crocodile. He lowered his head and crossed his arms. The attack pushed him back, but he deflected it.  
  
"Get her, Dodile!" Silack yelled as he ran from Adlteau.  
  
Meleina took a dive for the komodo dragon. They locked fists and intense energy formed around their hands. The komodo dragon's tongue slithered out of his mouth and hit Meleina in the eyes. She toppled back in surprise. The komodo dragon punched her in the stomach. She flew back, but caught herself. She rubbed her eyes and tried to focus on the figure. In frustration and the absolute desire not to lose any more loved ones, she let out a powerful blast. Without her sight, she missed and hit Socha square in the back. Socha let out a howl of pain and fell where she stood.  
  
Boda began to regain consciousness.  
  
"Help me, Fander!" Boda called to the komodo dragon.  
  
Socha lay helpless on the ground. The wolf reappeared from the ship, brandishing a large sword.  
  
"Curses!" Silack hissed, spotting the sword. "Retreat to the ship!"  
  
Silack, Boda, Fander, and Dodile ran to the ramp. Adlteau continue to pursue the speedy and agile Silack. The ramp began to ascend and Adlteau hit the edge of it hard, forcing him to stop. The ship closed tight and electricity started to surround it.  
  
"Run!" Korishico shouted. Meleina grabbed Socha by the tail and they all left as fast as they could. The electricity around the ship cracked as it formed a solid shield around the craft. A gust of wind was let out from the force and the five hit the ground.  
  
Korishico stood up. He brushed the dust and debris from his fur and picked up the sword to shake it clean as well. Meleina stood and looked at the ship, now protected by a forcefield.  
  
"What just happened?" Adlteau looked confused. Socha winced as she got up. Her back was black from the burn.  
  
Shenron looked down at them and announced calmly, "I bid you farewell."  
  
"What do you mean?" Socha asked.  
  
"My agreement to my magic was to remain in the flesh until Tapla was gone. I have done so, and must return to Earth." With that, he took off.  
  
Korishico turned. "What as that all about?"  
  
The three turned toward him. Each one was speechless. None of them could process what just happened. There was silence, except for the humming of the ship and it's shield.  
  
"Well, I'm getting the first transport out of here," Korishico growled.  
  
"Who were those guys? And what happened to you?" Meleina demanded.  
  
The wolf smirked. "Didn't they tell you?" Meleina sneered at him. Korishico chuckled. "You heard right. They are a demented race of mutated freaks that have something against mammals. They captured me when they invaded my home. Being my planet's strongest warrior and only resistor, they decided to torture me." He grabbed a sword sheath, then fastened the sword to his shoulders and chest.  
  
"So exactly how many of them are there?" Adlteau questioned.  
  
"Oh," Korishico said matter-of-factly, "Just the four.and their slaves."  
  
"Like you?" Meleina sneered.  
  
Korishico stood fully erect and gawked at them. "Look," he growled, "They are much stronger than they appear. That display out there was only handled so poorly because they were surprised. I've seen and felt their true power. Those pitiful five-foot creatures are only an outer mask to their proper form. Don't mess with them." He began to walk away, muttering to himself.  
  
"So that's it," Meleina challenged. "You're just going to walk away after they humiliated you? That planet of yours must have had pretty weak warriors if you were it's strongest!" Korishico leapt at her throat in rage, sword in hand. Meleina flew up and slammed her fists into his back, and he hit the ground hard. Meleina put a foot on his back and aimed a ball of energy at his head.  
  
"Stop!" Socha demanded. "Stop it this instant!" Meleina looked at her friend, then stepped away from Korishico and watched him try to stand. "Obviously," Socha continued, "Silack and his gang are stronger than we think. But unless they plan to terrorize Earth, they are not my concern." She turned to Adlteau. "Tapla's gone, and I believe that's all we came to do. I propose we make our way back to Earth." She switched her gaze to Meleina. "Do you want to come?"  
  
Meleina looked up at the ship, itching for a battle. She thought back to everything she'd ever learned about Earth- her brother, Kami.the Dragon Balls. "Yeah. This dump can deal wit Silack in their own way."  
  
"Korishico, do you want to come, too?" Socha asked. He looked at her.  
  
"What good would it do me?" he replied.  
  
"It's peaceful," she said softly. "And you'd have a new home."  
  
The wolf met her gaze, then nodded. "I've got nothing to lose."  
  
They watched the motionless ship for a second, then headed off to find another city.  
  
~*~  
  
In the ship, Silack cackled. "Earth, eh? Boda, where's this.Earth?"  
  
"Near the center of the galaxy, sir."  
  
"Set course for it. After we are done with this planet, I think I want to go to Earth." A dark look came over Silack's face. "Nobody humiliates me and gets away with it."  
  
~*~  
  
The four found another trading city. Meleina gave up (though hesitantly) some rare gems Kieran had given her on one of their anniversaries. Her three companions were curious as to where she had gotten them, but she refused to say, letting them believe she had stolen them. They bought a small ship for herself and Korishico to take.  
  
Earth came up fast, taking only a day and a half to reach. Socha and Adlteau set the ship carefully down on the ground, complaining about the lousy piece of junk and being forced to help them after it broke down. Meleina and Korishico came cautiously out of the ship, neither knowing what to expect.  
  
They were greeted by Goku, Piccolo, and Vegeta, who had sensed their energy long before they arrived.  
  
"You're back!" Goku exclaimed. "It must have been a cinch for you."  
  
"More so than you know," Socha agreed. Meleina stared at the tall warrior, inching over to Socha.  
  
"Is that him?" she asked.  
  
"Yes, that's Kakarot," Socha tried to whisper, but her voice was loud enough for them all to hear. Meleina felt her eyes swell with tears as she stared at her baby brother. After years of searching, I've finally found him!  
  
"And who are you?" Goku asked. Meleina opened her mouth, but no sounds came out.  
  
"I already told you about Meleina," Socha replied. "Don't you remember?"  
  
"Oh, you must be my sister, then," Goku remarked cheerfully. Meleina stared at him, unable to believe her eyes. Kakarot was the exact opposite of Raditz. He looked every bit happy, and not like the powerful warrior Socha had described. She couldn't believe the uncanny resemblance to their father, and her eyes swelled with tears again.  
  
"So you're alive," Vegeta sneered.  
  
Glad for the momentary emotional break, she glared at him. "No thanks to you."  
  
"I suppose you were stronger than we expected. Maybe we should have brought you with when we came to Earth."  
  
Meleina stalked angrily up to Vegeta. She stood quite a bit taller than him and had to look down at him to meet his gaze. "You don't want to start with me, Shorty," she growled.  
  
Vegeta snarled, angry that she had picked up on his old nickname so quickly. He clenched his fists and looked Meleina in the eyes, challenging her.  
  
"Stop it!" Piccolo demanded. "There's enough fighting and bloodshed without you two going at it, so just calm down!" He looked at Meleina. "Have we met?"  
  
She shrugged. "I don't think so. I've never seen you before."  
  
Piccolo scratched his head. "It's just that you look very familiar."  
  
"Maybe when you were young or something. I lived on Namek for a little while, and I loved it."  
  
"So sentimental," Vegeta spat.  
  
Meleina stuck her tongue out at him and moved behind Socha.  
  
Goku turned his head to where Korishico and Adlteau stood, trying to change the subject. "Wow Socha, you're just bringing home all kinds of new people."  
  
She blushed. "Sorry, I forgot to introduce you. This is my training partner Adlteau, and this is Korishico, a refugee."  
  
A voice called out from the distance. "Auntie Socha!" Trunks hollered. He flew over to her, followed closely by Goten. "You'll never guess what happened! The big dragon Shenron came back and reactivated the Dragon Balls! Goten and I collected them so we can make you normal again!" Adlteau swiveled his head to look at Socha with sad eyes. She turned to the two boys.  
  
"Later, okay?"  
  
"Sure," Goten said cheerfully, dropping one of the balls, which Trunks picked up as if it were a precious gem.  
  
"Well," Goku said happily, "Since my place is closest, how about we all stay there tonight?"  
  
Vegeta pointed at Meleina. "Only if that freak leaves me alone!"  
  
"What's the matter, Shorty? Afraid I'll beat you up?" she retorted.  
  
"Stop it!" Socha yelled.  
  
Chi-Chi greeted them warmly, but complained about cooking for seven more people, two of them being dragons and all but Korishico and Piccolo having Saiyan appetites. Socha assured her that she and Adlteau could handle dinner for themselves and they hurried into the forest. Meleina volunteered to help Chi-Chi cook dinner. The human was a bit apprehensive, knowing full well that Saiyans didn't cook very well, but Meleina assured her that she'd often cooked for her own family. She was surprised to find herself open up to Chi-Chi and mention her family, but Chi-Chi was good enough not to mention it, for which Meleina was grateful. She was a bit disappointed that she couldn't eat with Socha; she had missed her friend dearly and wanted to talk to her even more, but she was excited to meet her brother's family.  
  
"Goku, dear, can you pass the bread?" Chi-Chi asked, and Meleina watched her brother hand over the bread.  
  
"Milk please, Goku," Trunks chimed in, and again Kakarot passed over food.  
  
Meleina frowned at him. "Why do they call you Goku?"  
  
He swallowed a huge bite of pasta and grinned at her. "When I first came here, I was found by Grandpa Gohan in the woods, and he named me Goku."  
  
Hungry for information about her brother's life, she begged him to tell her everything. He went into great detail, but received help from his family and friends as his story continued. Meleina was surprised by his easy- going attitude toward life and Earth, but by the sound of his friends, she could see why.  
  
Finally dinner was over, and Socha and Adlteau returned to Goku's home. Socha asked Trunks to summon Shenron, and he agreed cheerfully. Meleina saw that Adlteau looked rather uncertain and nervous, but she paid it no mind.  
  
Shenron's brilliance had once again returned, the eternal glow engulfing his body.  
  
"I was wondering when I would see you again," he boomed. Socha stepped forward at once, and Meleina watched with jealousy as her friend made her wish.  
  
"I wish that you would make Adlteau and I the way we were on Fhotherite with your magic." Meleina felt her heart shatter. She could see that Adlteau was apprehensive about living forever as a biped, and she was happy that he and Socha loved each other enough to want to live together, but she was also saddened by this.  
  
"So be it," Shenron said, granting the wish and returning to the Earth. The Dragon Balls turned to stone and were once again dispersed.  
  
"Look Adlteau! You have a tail like mine!" Socha and Adlteau watched the waving blue spiky tail. "I wonder if that means you change at the full moon as well." She smiled at him.  
  
"Come on, it's getting late," Chi-Chi interrupted, her gaze on Goten. She rounded them all up and designated where they were sleeping. It was hard to keep Vegeta and Meleina from fighting during this, and Goku was too busy chatting with Piccolo to be of much help.  
  
Finally, they were all comfortable, and everyone but Meleina was asleep. If only I could have gotten my wish! She thought sadly. What I wouldn't give to have Kieran back.Kieran and Vrail and Reine and Ronan. A tear slid down her cheek. She buried her head into her pillow and quietly cried herself to sleep.  
  
1 One Month Later  
  
It was the middle of the night at Goku's house when Meleina awoke from her spot on the floor. She sat up and waited for Goku or one of her nephews to come ask her if she'd felt the strange energy, but they didn't come. She sat still for another ten minutes, then finally grumbled and took off toward Socha's house. Certainly her old friend had felt the strange, familiar power.  
  
She landed in the bushes with a slight thump and groaned softly. "Who's there?" Meleina stepped out of the bushes with her hands raised and eyed Socha. "Meleina! So it was you I sensed. Holy cow, you surprised me."  
  
Meleina frowned. "It wasn't me you sensed, it was something else. I came here to see if you felt it, too."  
  
"Who do you think it could be?"  
  
Meleina shook her head. "No idea. It feels really familiar, though." They both looked around. "It seems to be gone. Think I could stay here the rest of the night?"  
  
"Sure, as long as you don't mind the couch."  
  
Meleina shrugged. "Beats the floor."  
  
"Let's go in, I'm freezing out here," Socha said with a shiver. They headed in, Socha comforted that it had been Meleina lurking around the house, Meleina still wary and prepared for battle.  
  
They awoke when it was still dark out. Adlteau seemed surprised to find Meleina in his house. "What's going on?"  
  
"I felt a new power last night, and I came to find Socha.didn't you feel it as well?" Meleina asked. Adlteau shrugged, his mouth full of food.  
  
Meleina froze suddenly as a new energy entered the area. "What was that?" she blurted.  
  
"What was what?" Socha asked with a yawn.  
  
"Hang on a minute," Meleina snarled, walking out the door. She scanned the area, and when something rustled in the bushes, she snapped her gaze in the direction of the sound. The sound of footsteps came from behind her, and she jumped, attacking the creature and pinning it to the ground.  
  
"Get off, you wacko!" Korishico shrieked. Socha hurried outside, and Meleina let the wolf up.  
  
"What's going on?" Socha asked worriedly.  
  
"What are you doing here?" Meleina demanded, not bothering to mention that the wolf had badly frightened her.  
  
"I felt something last night, so I came to find you three," he snapped back.  
  
"I'm starting to feel left out," Adlteau complained, joining the informal reunion.  
  
"Do you know what it was?" Socha asked the wolf.  
  
"Yeah," he said. "My old buddies. Silack."  
  
"Here?" Adlteau blurted.  
  
"Obviously," Korishico snapped. Socha put a hand to her forehead and turned away.  
  
"This can't be happening. My whole goal on Fhotherite was to make sure Earth had to suffer no more evil. We should have slaughtered them when we had the chance." Meleina turned a startled look to her normally peaceful friend.  
  
"Don't beat yourself up over it," Korishico comforted. "You wouldn't have defeated them anyway."  
  
Meleina curled her lip, but before she could respond, Socha looked at her. "Meleina, you'd better go tell Goku and Gohan what's going on. I'll go tell Vegeta and Trunks." The two women left, leaving Adlteau and Korishico alone.  
  
"Are they really as strong as you let on?"  
  
Korishico nodded. "Yes."  
  
"But.they seemed like cowards. They were really easy to beat on Fhotherite."  
  
"I assure you, Adlteau, Fhotherite doesn't exist anymore. What you saw was only a public mask. They didn't expect you to attack them. They're confident about their power and didn't think anybody would be stupid enough to take them on. They are hideously powerful in their true form."  
  
Meleina raced back to her brother's house as fast as she could, determined to get him to help. She'd lost Vegeta, Namek, and Fhotherite; she wasn't about to lose Earth, too. She tried to open the door, but found it locked and quietly knocked.  
  
"Hello?" Goku asked tiredly, opening the door. When he saw Meleina, he grinned. "We were wondering where you went."  
  
"I went to Socha and Adlteau's house." She bit her lip. "Something bad's happening, Goku, something really bad. Korishico felt it, too, and he said he knows for sure that it's Silack."  
  
Goku became very serious. "I guess we'd better figure things out when Gohan wakes up. You're welcome to watch TV until Chi-Chi wakes up. I'd make you breakfast, but."  
  
"Thanks, I already ate," she laughed. "Besides, I'm not sure I trust your cooking too much."  
  
He grinned and scratched his head. "I know what you mean."  
  
Gohan awoke an hour later, and Meleina quickly explained to him what was going on. He agreed to go with, and the three headed to Capsule Corp. Vegeta was obviously not happy about the three guests, but in light of the upcoming fight didn't say anything. The group had to talk in the front yard; it seemed that Trunks had bad allergies to Korishico's fur.  
  
After much debating, they decided to investigate the intentions of Silack and his gang. Gohan decided to stay behind with Adlteau and Trunks. Adlteau didn't feel that he would be much help in the fight, Trunks was too young, and Gohan didn't feel up to par after having not trained in seven years. Vegeta, Goku, Socha, and Meleina followed Korishico to Silack's ship. The wolf agreed to take them to the ship, but he wanted to leave as soon as possible. The group watched the ship open and unfamiliar figures step out. They were terrible creatures, large, bulky and mutated. The Saiyans could feel an incredible energy flowing off the reptiles.  
  
"Where's Silack?" Socha asked, confused.  
  
"That's them," Korishico replied. "I told you they were only masking their true forms on Fhotherite." At the mention of her old home, Meleina's blood boiled.  
  
"I feel so much more power from them," she growled.  
  
"Let me explain," Korishico said shortly. "They present themselves to leaders of planets in that weakling form you saw on Fhotherite. They normally try to get leaders of that planet by meeting them to open 'diplomatic ties.' Seeing that they aren't much of a threat, they are allowed to visit emperors, kings, senate, whatever other world leaders face- to-face. Once they are there, they transform into their ultimate forms and slaughter the rules of the planet. From there they annihilate the rest of the planet and finish it off by blowing it up. I'll tell you once again: you took them by surprise on Fhotherite that's why you're not dead. Seeing that they aren't masking themselves on this planet, they're probably here for revenge."  
  
"They only have powerlevels comparable to Cell's. I could squash them like bugs!" Vegeta announced.  
  
"But Vegeta," Goku said, trying to calm the prince down, "There are four of them with that power. There was only one of Cell!"  
  
"So?" Vegeta snorted.  
  
"In case you don't remember, it took all of Gohan's strength to defeat him." Goku stepped up to Vegeta. "And he nearly killed you. Trunks wasn't so lucky."  
  
This took Vegeta over the edge and he threw a blast at Goku. Goku moved out of the way and the blast hit a cliff above Silack's ship. The four reptiles turned their gaze in the direction of the Saiyans.  
  
"You idiot!" Meleina screeched. "Now they know we're here!"  
  
"Get them!" the largest reptile roared.  
  
Meleina gave Vegeta a dirty look, then took off to intercept one of the creatures, the one who had the slightest resemblance to Boda. Vegeta brushed past her to take on Dodile, and Goku went for Fander. Socha immediately leapt for Silack. Only Korishico remained on the ground. Remembering the pain these monsters had caused him, he lowered his ears, tucked his tail between his legs, and retreated back a few paces.  
  
Boda caught Meleina in the back and she fell to the ground hard.  
  
"You okay?" Goku yelled to his sister. Fander took advantage of Goku's sudden lapse in concentration and hit him to the ground. Goku regained himself and increased his power to Super Saiyan. Vegeta followed, and, not wanting to be left out, Socha also increased her power. Meleina stared at her friends from her spot on the ground, her eyes shining. She'd only heard stories about these legendary golden fighters, and she was incredibly proud that her brother was one of them. She didn't hesitate any longer and quickly leapt back into battle.  
  
The eight combatants equally matched each other's power. For every attack, each opponent released a blast just as strong.  
  
Seeing they were not winning the battle, Silack called his army back for a minute. The Saiyans used to opportunity to catch their breath and wipe away dirt and blood from their faces.  
  
"They're going to try something bad," Goku whispered. He began to increase his power, and quickly the two royal Saiyans followed suit. Meleina watched in amazement as her friends' power shot up.  
  
Socha looked over to Korishico. "What are they doing now?"  
  
"I don't know. Whatever it is, I don't want to mess with it."  
  
The Saiyans returned their gaze to the opposing creatures. Boda and Dodile began to vibrate and merge into each other.  
  
"It's some kind of fusion!" Goku announced. "I can feel their power increasing."  
  
Dodile and Boda finished and revealed and even more hideous creature. Silack laughed, feeling that he now had the upper hand in the fight.  
  
"Attack!" he shrieked.  
  
The monster shot toward them but met Vegeta on the way. The prince released a powerful blast right into the creature's stomach. It fell back, it's limp body headed for the ground, but it never made it there. The hole filled and the creature made its way toward Vegeta.  
  
It was too quick to see, but before anyone knew what was happening, Vegeta was out cold on the distant ground. Meleina looked down at the limp body of her rival and friend, her anger increasing. Sparks mounted around her body.  
  
Goku fought furiously with the fused reptile. He released a kamehameha wave, which tore through the creature's side. It regenerated and charged at him. Goku dodged and hit the creature's back. The monster hit the ground hard, and upon impact, the fusion broke. Without thinking, the Boda half charged Goku, who finished it off with another kamehameha wave.  
  
"Impossible!" Silack roared. Boda's burnt carcass hit the ground and exploded into scattered ash. Goku stayed back, breathing heavily. Meleina wanted to let out a cheer of joy but held herself back, not wanting to break her brother's concentration.  
  
Silack began to steam. His eyes turned red and he began to rapidly vibrate. He overtook the remaining Fander and injured Dodile, creating one large fusion. The result was a massive creature the size of an Oozaru. Its eyes were blood red, and its form was so altered it didn't have the slightest resemblance to the reptiles. It let out an angry cry, and Meleina thought, great, where's a full moon when you need one?  
  
"Fools!" the monster boomed. "Now I will not only destroy you, but I will finish off your pathetic planet as well."  
  
Meleina felt the red-hot rage sear through her spirit and she let out a might roar, her hair going pure white and her eyes deep blue for the first time in her life. She felt the power rage through her and smiled viscously at the monster.  
  
Socha eyed the might beast, but Goku leapt straight at it.  
  
The monster laughed and swatted him away. The impact of Goku's body shattered the nearby cliff, throwing rubble onto Silack's ship and Vegeta's unconscious body.  
  
Goku emerged from the demolished mountainside and shot a powerful blast at the creature. It responded by shooting a laser beam its red eyes. It engulfed Goku's body and paralyzed him. A look of horror came across his face as he was flung to the ground. Barely clinging to life, he landed on the rubble from the destroyed cliff and lay on the ground, helpless, his hair and eyes returned to black. Meleina and Socha looked horrified, and both thought of the lives they had lost because of terrorists like Silack.  
  
"Ha!" the monster laughed. "He was even more of a match for me than your puny husband and children proved to me!" Silack's slimy voice revealed to Meleina. She fell to her knees in shock. They're the ones who murdered my family! Her memory shot back to the unspeakable pain they had caused her, and in that instant, she remembered her slaughtered family, her dead Namekian friends, and her murdered father. An uncontrollable rage took hold of her spirit, ten times stronger than she had ever felt. Socha could sense her friend's agony and was overcome with the sickening feeling of hatred for Silack. Socha wasn't about to let this planet be destroyed. Her every goal in life was to prevent those she cared about from having to suffer through the losses she had felt in her life. She thought of the terrors she had seen in her life, the pain her closest friend was feeling, and her anger mounted even more.  
  
Both women let out an Earth-shattering scream; Socha because of her desire to protect, Meleina because of her need for revenge. The Silack beast stepped back in surprise. The shrieking stopped, and a blinding light came from the two Saiyan women. Each one floated above the Earth with three times the normal hair length that flowed with golden brilliance. They took a hard look at what they had become, and then bolted for the monster that had pushed them to this ultimate form. Meleina felt the power surge through her, and she chuckled softly, her increased strength and speed pushing her closer to Silack with each second.  
  
The beast realized it was outmatched and tried to run for its ship. It held its wounds and began to regenerate.  
  
"No you don't!" Socha bellowed. Dragon wings of flame formed on her back, her tail unraveled from her waist, surrounded by electricity, and a massive ball of energy formed in her outstretched hands.  
  
"DRAGON!" the energy in all three places intensified, "BREATH!" the fire, electricity, and energy began to focus into her hands, "BEAM!" The attack was released. The amazing power surrounded the Silack beast and with a final cry it was incinerated.  
  
The attack complete, Socha let out a sigh. Her hair returned to its normal black length, her eyes closed, and she fell to the ground. Meleina released her anger, and with it her power, and flew to the ground where her fallen comrades lay. She took one good look at the damaged ship and finished it off with a blast. She managed to drag her fallen friends back to Capsule Corp. to allow them to heal. It was two days later when Socha finally awoke, her hands wrapped in gauze and an oxygen mask fastened to her face.  
  
Meleina hurried into her friend's room. "Hey."  
  
"Hey," Socha replied. "What happened?"  
  
"That was a wicked attack you let out. Totally incinerated Silack, not even enough of him left for ash. Where'd you learn how to do such a thing?"  
  
"I've been able to do it since I was a kid. I guess it comes with my tail." She chuckled, coughed, and then turned her head to watch Adlteau slip in.  
  
"Are you okay?" he demanded worriedly.  
  
"Fine," Socha replied, smiling warmly. "How's my brother?"  
  
"Fine. You know Vegeta. Couldn't get rid of him if you wanted to. Trust me," she added, mischief filling her voice.  
  
"How's Goku?" Socha asked, her energy still depleted.  
  
"He's fine. Actually, he was back on his feet in a few hours."  
  
"That's good." Socha smiled, then caught sight of Vegeta in the doorway. She gave a motherly smile.  
  
"Perhaps you should all leave. An injured warrior doesn't need to be burdened by unnecessary pests," he said, glaring at Meleina.  
  
She raised an eyebrow. "Well, then I guess you'd better be on your way, shouldn't you?" Socha rolled her eyes at the two.  
  
Adlteau spoke to interrupt the upcoming conflict. "We really should let her get more rest."  
  
"Hang on a minute, I really need to talk to Socha," Meleina said softly. She met Adlteau's gaze. "It's important." He hesitated, then nodded and dragged Vegeta from the room. "So. Should we tell them what we did?"  
  
Socha grinned. "What, you mean hit level three Super Saiyan?"  
  
Meleina looked at her friend. "I've never done that before, Socha. It was.incredible. Incredible, but terrifying."  
  
Socha smiled. "You just need to practice controlling it, that's all. You should be fine. But I think you're right. If we told them, it'd just hurt Vegeta's pride. Besides, we don't want to make the others start training more just to prove that they're stronger than us, do we?"  
  
Meleina smiled tentatively at her friend. "No, we really don't. Besides, we already know that I'm stronger than Vegeta."  
  
The prince opened the door and snapped, "You are not!" Meleina and Socha looked at each other and burst into laughter.  
  
~*~  
  
The following two years were very peaceful. The only fighting during that time was Meleina and Vegeta "settling their differences." It ended with a new desert on the map and the two in comas for nearly a month. They finally decided it was an equal draw (though Vegeta still insists Meleina was the first one knocked out).  
  
Socha gave birth to her first child. The boy, despite his mother's different tail, was born with a long Oozaru tail. Adlteau found work and Socha spends much of her time with Bulma, Vegeta, and Trunks while he worked the day away. Socha has finally found happiness and every day she looks out on the planet she saved- the planet that finally made her content.  
  
Meleina lives with her brother and his family, but feels the tearing pain in her heart every day as she sees him playing with his children. Socha has noticed that Meleina often blocks emotions from her and is hiding a deep pain and sorrow. She can tell something had happened in Meleina's past that was heartbreaking, but has decided to wait until her friend feels it is time to share her experience.  
  
Korishico returned to his friends about a month after the fight with Silack. After getting a through flogging by Meleina for not helping in the battle, he accepted his new friends. Meleina and Korishico became very good friends- so close that Meleina shared with him all her secrets but one- the same secret that she kept from Socha. He now resides in the forest between Meleina and Socha's mountain homes. He successfully founded his own wolf pack, but often visits Meleina for real conversation, saying that it's hard for a cultured wolf to live with animals that can only bark and howl.  
  
There is tranquility and all is well on Earth, but even the peace-loving Socha is restless for adventure.. 


	10. Search for Family

Disclaimer: I don't own it. Well, not the characters, at least. I own Meleina, Kieran, Ronan, Vrail, and Reine, but I don't own the rest. My buddy Astiome Debrator owns Socha, Adlteau, Korishico, and Katal, but we're using each other's characters because it's fun.  
  
Author's Note: This is not the end of the fic. Not yet, at least. Sadly, I found another plot line that I really liked and decided that I had to use. The next chapter is titled "Familiar Faces." Maybe. If I find a better title, I'll use it, but no luck so far.  
  
Four years later  
  
Meleina felt something press lightly onto her stomach, and she slowly opened one of her eyes. A curious-looking Goten peered down at her, and she groaned softly. "Go away, Goten, I don't want to get up yet."  
"Aw, Aunt Meleina," he whined.  
She batted him away with a hand. "Out of my room, squirt."  
He tugged her arm, but she rolled over, ignoring him. Suddenly, something struck the back of her head and she sat up. "Goten, do you want to die a slow and painful death? No? Then put the pillow down and let me go back to sleep!"  
Gohan popped his head in the room. "Ooh, a pillow fight!" he said, the playfulness showing through. Meleina moaned, but Gohan jumped in and snatched up a pillow, smacking her across the face.  
She pursed her lips, then tackled Gohan and knocked him to the floor, wrestling the pillow away from him. "Aunt Mel!" he laughed as she finally managed to steal it.  
She snorted. "Great, now I'm up."  
"Awesome, now you can come play!" Goten said enthusiastically.  
"I think I'd rather have breakfast first," she said, patting him on the head. "I'll play after I eat."  
Goten tugged her arm. "You gotta play now!"  
Meleina raised an eyebrow. "Goten, dear, you're twelve years old. Aren't you a little old to play?"  
He smacked her in the head with the pillow. "Nope."  
Gohan laughed. "He's got a good point."  
Goku appeared in the doorway, and laughed. "You're never to old for a pillow fight! Right, sis?" he added mischievously. Meleina glared at him.  
"Not you too!"  
He cackled, then snatched up another pillow from the floor and the three men bombarded Meleina. "Why me?" she moaned, trying to shield her face. Goku tackled her and pinned her to the floor while Gohan and Goten continued the merciless beating with the pillows. Finally, Meleina gave in and started laughing. She reached up onto her bed and tugged down two pillows, then hit Goku on the side of the head. "Do you really want to mess with me, the pillow-fight queen of the world?" she challenged loudly.  
The three men looked at each other, then grinned and nodded. "Three against one. I like these odds," Gohan said. "Not that she could take on any one of us and hope to win."  
Meleina threw one of her pillows and hit him square in the chest; he tripped over his own feet and fell into the wall. Gohan lay there groaning, and Meleina hurried over to make sure he was all right. As soon as she set a hand on his shoulder, her grabbed it and laughed. "Tricked you. Hit her, Dad!"  
"Eep!" she yelled as Goku smacked her on the back viscously. Goten joined in, and the two had her stuck in between them when Gohan let her go. He joined his father and brother, and the three hit her randomly.  
"Tag team?" Goku asked with a fiendish grin.  
"Hey, I think breakfast is ready!" Meleina said, hoping to distract the men long enough to sneak away. It worked, and all three turned to the door. Meleina raced out of it, hearing Gohan yell, "Hey!" after her. She hurried into the hall, then debated on where to go next. She decided her safest bet would be to head to Chi-Chi's room, because as fun loving as Goku, Gohan, and Goten were, they weren't stupid enough to have a pillow fight around Chi-Chi.  
She ran into the room, and Chi-Chi spun around from her mirror in shock. "What is going on here?" Meleina could barely hold back her chuckles as the three men froze.  
"Nothing, Mom," Gohan said sheepishly.  
"Out!" Chi-Chi snapped. "Out now!"  
Goten gave Meleina a look that said plainly, You're not off the hook, missy. I'll get you sooner or later. As soon as they were gone, Meleina collapsed onto the bed and laughed. "Thanks for saving me, Chi-Chi. I wouldn't have been able to get away without you."  
Chi-Chi grinned. "Poor Meleina. Were my boys beating up on you again?"  
Meleina nodded. "I wouldn't have minded half as much if they hadn't woken me up early to do it, mind. Ah, well, it was fun. Until they ganged up on me, that is," she added as an afterthought. There was a light knock on the front door, and shouts of, "I've got it!" could be heard from Goku, Gohan, and Goten.  
Minutes later, Gohan knocked on the door to Chi-Chi's room. "Hey, Aunt Mel? It's Korishico."  
She smiled and jumped off the bed. "Great! He hasn't come by in a few days now! I was starting to wonder where he'd gone to."  
She hurried to the kitchen. Goku, Goten, and Korishico stood around the table, their hands behind their backs, and as soon as they saw Meleina, they threw pillows at her. She turned to shield her head, but Gohan pulled out a pillow and smacked her square across the face.  
"No fair!" she pouted. She glared at Korishico. "Fine then, if that's the way you want to be, then I'll just go back to bed."  
"No, Auntie Meleina, you can't go back to bed!"  
"I can and I will, if you men don't promise to stop throwing those blasted things at me."  
"I promise," Goten said quickly. Gohan agreed, as did Goku, but it took them a while to persuade Korishico to give up his pillow.  
Chi-Chi came out of her room finally and Meleina helped her make breakfast. They invited Korishico to eat, but he insisted that he'd already fed and wasn't hungry.  
After breakfast, Meleina was torn by her promise to play with Goten and her normal hike through the woods with Korishico. Finally, she asked her wolf friend if it would be okay if Goten went with, and he agreed.  
The three took off, and Meleina smiled happily as she chatted with Goten and Korishico. The two adults decided to take Goten to their favorite place in the woods, a meadow at the base of a huge waterfall.   
Goten raced into the water, splashing up at the shore where Meleina and Korishico stood, but both refused to get wet. They let him play in the water while they sat and talked. Finally, Korishico smiled at Meleina.  
"You really love your nephews."  
She looked surprised at the change of subject, then shrugged. "They're like my own kids, Kori. Of course I love them."  
Over the years he had known Meleina, Korishico had come to notice a trend in Meleina's behavior. He doubted anyone else had recognized her behavioral patterns as maternal, but he was almost positive that she had at some point had children of her own. He was disappointed that Meleina wouldn't tell him about her family life, but he respected her silence, knowing that it came from an old pain.  
Goten splashed onto shore, soaked, and shook his head, flinging water droplets all over Korishico and Meleina.  
"Goten!" she blurted. Korishico laughed.  
"Great, kid, now I'm all wet."  
"And nothing smells worse than wet dog," Meleina teased, playfully shoving him.  
He snorted, then met Goten's gaze. He scooped Meleina up off the ground, then calmly walked to the edge of the river and dumped her in. She shrieked and tried to drag him down with her, but he eluded her grasp and stood on the shore, laughing. When she surfaced, she glared at the laughing wolf and giggling Goten. She stepped out of the water and sat down, glaring at her friends.  
"That was really mean, Korishico," she pouted.   
"Was it?" he asked innocently. "Well...I'm not sorry." She punched his arm none to softly and he chuckled. "You have to admit, it was really funny."  
"No it wasn't."  
"Yes it was."  
"No."  
"Yes."  
"No."  
"Yes."  
"No."  
"Shut up!" Goten hollered. Korishico laughed, but Meleina suddenly became serious. The argument reminded her of the way she and Kieran had argued- playfully, but getting their point across. Goten put a hand on his stomach. "I'm hungry," he whined.  
"Yeah, me too," Meleina agreed.  
"You two are always hungry," Korishico pointed out.  
"You want to come for lunch?" Meleina asked him.  
"Nope, I think I ought to head back to my pack now."  
Meleina hugged him. "Take care, then, okay?"  
"It's so nice to know that you care," he grinned.  
She smiled back at him, then watched him take off through the woods. She chuckled to herself, glad that she'd been able to spend a few hours with him, then turned back to Goten. The twelve-year-old was holding a yellow ball in his hands, and she frowned at him. "What've you got there?"  
"It's a Dragon Ball!" he said cheerfully. She froze at the term. "Cool, now I've got two!"  
"Can I have it?" she asked cautiously. Goten nodded cheerfully and handed it over. She studied it carefully. He already has two...that leaves five...She shook her head. What am I thinking? It would only hurt more if I wished them back to life. She tucked the ball into a pocket. Why bother? But thinking of her lost family, even for the smallest moment, caused a terrible pain in her heart that didn't leave for the rest of the day.  
Deep in the forest, Korishico felt a sudden wave of sorrow wash over him and stopped in the middle of his hunt. His mate, Rillaao, gave him a curious look, then whined slightly. Korishico shook off the strange feeling and continued trudging along in front of his pack.  
~*~  
It was late at night, but Meleina couldn't sleep. She tossed and turned, tried to force herself to think about fighting Vegeta, but her mind kept returning to the Dragon Balls. She had forced herself to believe that she was happy on Earth, that she had all she needed- her best friend, her brother and his family, even someone to constantly fight with- but in truth she had only pushed her emotions aside. She missed with a desperate passion her family- they had molded her into a happy woman, and now they were gone. She knew her friends would never truly understand; only Korishico had suffered a loss as deep as hers. It made perfect sense, then, that she would have told him, but she was too frightened. Besides, she believed that she should tell Socha, her friend for many years, before she told anyone else. Meleina rolled over and sighed. She owed Socha the truth- owed all her friends the truth, but it hurt too much to remember. She sat up and threw on her bathrobe, knowing she would suffer from no sleep tonight, and walked into the kitchen. The light was already on, and Goku sat at the table. He looked up as she came in the room.  
"Morning!" he greeted. Meleina nodded in wary reply. "I thought you'd still be up. Goten said you found a Dragon Ball..." Meleina nodded again, and Goku shrugged. "Every time we mention the Dragon Balls, you go...really quiet. I was wondering if maybe you wanted to talk about something."  
Meleina smiled at his bluntness. "No, Goku, I'm not sure I want to talk right now."  
He nodded. "When you're ready, then you can come to me."  
Meleina felt her heart warm. "Thank you, Goku. I'll...I'll remember that."  
He stood to leave. "You might want to get some sleep, though. We've got that get-together tomorrow for Katal's fourth birthday." Meleina grimaced.  
"Goody, just what I want." She chuckled lightly. "Vegeta around all day." Goku smiled faintly then suddenly embraced her in brotherly fashion. She touched her cheek lightly to his, knowing full well that he wouldn't comprehend the Saiyan gesture of caring. "Goodnight, Goku."  
He grinned. "'Night, Meleina."  
She returned to bed, her heart more at peace, and fell quickly asleep.  
~*~  
She awoke the next day and staggered to the kitchen. It was sparkling clean, and Chi-Chi stood over the stove. Not wanting to be rude despite her late awakening, Meleina smiled. "Need any help?"  
Chi-Chi turned. "Oh, good morning, Meleina! No, I don't need any help, but thank you for offering. I'm almost done out here."  
Meleina pursed her lips and nodded, wishing she could be of more use. "Is there anything I can do?"  
"Nope, not a thing!" Chi-Chi chirruped. Goten strode in and Chi-Chi snapped to him, "Goten! Take this outside!" She thrust a bowl into his arms, and Meleina suddenly grew unexplainably angry.  
"I could have done that," she remarked snappishly, then stormed back to her room, feeling useless.  
Chi-Chi watched her go, then sighed. "Saiyans are so touchy!"  
Everyone sat outside laughing while Meleina lay on her bed, depressed, staring at the Dragon Ball she had found the day before. Outside, everyone was talking and having fun. Socha wondered briefly where Meleina was, then smiled, knowing her friend was never skip something so important. She must have something great planned for Katal.  
"We're out of chips," Vegeta growled. "I'm going to get more." Socha chuckled, knowing he just wanted to get away from Goku.  
Vegeta ignored his sister's laughter and hurried into the kitchen. He had sensed Meleina's energy in the house, but had been surprised that she wasn't celebrating. He hesitated, then made his way to Meleina's room. He knocked and heard her snarl, "Go away, Vegeta!" He opened the door and saw her sitting on her bed, Dragon Ball in hand, drying tear marks on her cheeks. Vegeta froze in shock.  
"Look at the poor depressed Saiyan," he sneered. Meleina's head snapped up, and she quickly wiped her tears away.  
"I told you to go away," she snarled, throwing her pillow at him with as much force as she could muster. A small dent appeared in the wall behind him as she missed.  
Vegeta curled his lip. "Temper, temper."  
She stood up and started for him menacingly. "You slimy, arrogant-" The Dragon Ball dropped from her lap and fell to the floor. Vegeta stared at it in vague surprise, then looked at Meleina.  
"Well, well. Wanting wishes granted?"  
Meleina shot him a poisonous look. "Not that you care," she snapped shortly. Vegeta stared.  
"I was going to invite you down to enjoy the party with us, but it looks like you're too afraid to be around me," he sneered, trying to cover his surprise.   
"No, I just didn't want to have to deal with your arrogance," she snapped. Vegeta stepped back at the comment, clearly insulted. Meleina sighed. "Sorry. I didn't mean to be so rude. I'm just...not having a good day."  
Vegeta relaxed his shocked look. "Why?" he grunted.  
She handed him her Dragon Ball. "I miss them so much," she whispered, turning away. Vegeta thought she meant her parents until she muttered, "Kieran...Vrail, Reine, Ronan..."  
"Those aren't Saiyan names," Vegeta pointed out.  
Meleina turned and nodded. "Thanks, Sherlock," she snapped.  
"Oh, so now she's educated in human literature," he laughed.  
Meleina took a deep breath. "You have till the count of three to get your tail out of my room, Shorty. One-"  
"So are you going to tell me who they are, or just leave me needing to ask Socha?"  
Meleina yelped and raced forward, dragging him in the room. "Socha doesn't know, so don't be going to her, okay?" she snapped, bringing her face within an inch of his. Vegeta felt his surprise in the low-level deepen. He waited, uncertain of what to say to her. She sat down on her bed and handed him a picture. He studied it curiously. A tall, green-haired man stood with his arm around Meleina's waist while her head rested gently on his shoulder. Meleina had her hand on the head of a young girl with long black hair and golden-brown eyes. The tall man had his other arm rested on the shoulder of a boy whose blonde hair was cut in the style of Goku's. In the middle of them all stood the youngest, a tiny, slender boy with shoulder-length green hair and stunning blue eyes.  
"Who are they?" Vegeta asked, intrigued. When Meleina didn't respond, he glanced at her, then quickly looked away when he saw that she was crying again. He opened his mouth to speak, but suddenly the door burst open.  
"Korishico!" Meleina blurted, her tears drying up. The wolf looked at her, then suddenly grabbed Vegeta and slammed him into the wall.  
"What did you do to her?" he snarled.  
Vegeta flinched. "I didn't do anything to her, you insane freak!"  
Meleina stood up. Despite the humor of the situation, she didn't want Vegeta and Korishico to start a fight. She set a had on the wolf's arm and smiled. "It's okay, Korishico. He was helping me."  
The wolf frowned, but set Vegeta down. "Somehow, I don't believe that." He embraced her, then suddenly glared at Vegeta. "Your wife is looking for you and sent me." He pulled back his lips to reveal his razor-sharp fangs. "I suggest you hurry up and get down there."  
Vegeta walked out of the room, his thoughts on the picture of Meleina's family.  
Korishico gave Meleina a curious look. "What was that all about? Because I find it hard to believe that Vegeta would be helping you."  
Meleina stared at him, open-mouthed, then sighed. "Yeah. He was actually trying to help me, but...well...it's Vegeta. You know how he is." The wolf nodded, then gently touched her shoulder.  
"Want to talk about it?"  
Meleina hesitated. First Goku, then Vegeta, now even Korishico's noticing that I'm not acting normal. This is really eating away at me. She sighed. "I don't exactly want to, Korishico, but...I think maybe I need to. Know what I mean?"  
The wolf nodded. "Yeah, actually, I know exactly what you mean. Go ahead."  
Meleina sat down on her bed and scooped up the Dragon Ball. "This is a Dragon Ball, Kori. I'm sure Goku's told you all about them," he nodded to her, "so I don't need to explain about them. I'm sure Vegeta has told you that the Saiyans were incredibly powerful, and that we were...planet brokers, I suppose," he nodded again. "Okay. So we've got that squared away. Well, a long time ago I was sent to Namek with a friend to blow it up. I was nearly killed, but a kind warrior named Kami saved my life. I stayed on Namek because it was a great place to live, and I loved it. I found out...somehow...through my father that I had a baby brother, and that my home planet was at that moment being destroyed by our overlord, Frieza." She looked up at Korishico. "My father was on Vegeta when he told me this, Korishico. I've never been able to explain it...but I saw some incredible things." She took a deep breath. "I left Namek to look for Kakarot...and learned about the Dragon Balls from Vegeta." She turned. "I could remember Kami mentioning something about the Dragon Balls, so I went back to Namek to ask him. Sadly, a great number of years had passed, and I learned that Kami had become the Guardian of the Earth. I managed to find out about the Dragon Balls from an old Namek, luckily, but before I could head off again, I felt a terrifyingly familiar presence...Frieza was on Namek. I hurried to see if I could stop him, but by the time I reached him, it was too late. Somehow, I knew deep inside that he was going to destroy Namek, also. I fled, but not before I caught sight of a young man...I know now that the familiar young man was Kakarot, my baby brother.  
"I hurried away from Namek quickly, and watched in horror as it was destroyed. I prayed to the God of every culture I had ever encountered that Kakarot was still alive, but I had no way of knowing. I launched my ship deep into space and landed on Fhotherite, where..." Meleina stopped to gather herself. "Where I met Kieran."  
Korishico looked surprised. "Kieran the bounty hunter?"  
Meleina smiled. "Yes. Kieran the bounty hunter. He beat the living daylights out of me shortly after we met, but...somehow we fell in love and got married."  
Korishico nodded, anticipating what was coming next. "And because he was a bounty hunter, he faced many dangers and was killed in action."  
Meleina shook her head sharply. "He quit being a bounty hunter when we married- mostly upon my insistence." She smiled darkly. "He told me that he wanted one final mission, to find the woman with the dragon tail, that's exactly what he told me. I gave him a pretty nasty black eye and told him that he could have me or he could have bounties. He chose me." She grinned. "We had three kids..." Tears stung her eyes. "They were the most beautiful little angels in the universe...Vrail and Reine were twins, and Ronan was the little one. I loved them so much...  
"One day I came home from work in the city to find them all dead," she said, her voice dropping to a hoarse whisper. She buried her face in her hands. "I was so upset...I transformed that night...and Socha found me...but Kieran...little Ronan, his head bent-"  
Korishico drew her in to his embrace. "Don't think about it, Meleina. Don't think about it. That was many years ago."  
She looked up at him. "If it was so long ago, why do I still feel this pain, Korishico? Why do I still see their smiling faces every night before bed? I don't even think about Dad as much as I think about them..."  
He smiled gently. "They were your family, Meleina. Your chosen family. You cannot help but having been born to your Saiyan family, but you chose a husband and birthed three children. Of course you love them more than your own father."  
Meleina met his gaze. "I wish I could have them back, Korishico. I truly wish I could have them back."  
He took the Dragon Ball and held it up. "You've only got one, Meleina. I believe Goku said it took all seven to make the wish come true?"  
Meleina chuckled softly. "Yes, Korishico. It takes all seven to make the wish come true. We already have two of them...there's only five left out there..."  
He smiled, then tossed the Ball back to her. "Use it wisely, Meleina, and be careful what you wish for, because it just might come true." He smiled. "Are you going to go down and join the party now?"  
Meleina nodded. "I might as well. I expect Socha's starting to get awfully worried, and poor little Katal must miss his Aunt Meleina dearly! It's been so long since I last saw him-"  
"Yes, a whole week, if what Socha says is true."  
Meleina smiled, then playfully punched Korishico's arm. "So, what did you get Katal for his birthday?"  
The wolf smiled. "Just a few toys. Nothing much. You?"  
Meleina grinned, then reached into her closet and pulled out a tiny, mewing kitten. "Every growing boy needs a pet," she said, stroking the kitten's fur.  
"How, er...adorable."  
Meleina laughed. "Oh, Korishico, he's just a little kitten!"  
"He'll grow into a big mean cat."  
Meleina smiled, then put the kitten in a large box. "Let's go down, I think they're missing us."  
When she stepped outside clutching the box, Katal raced up and hugged her leg. "What did you get me, Aunt Meleina?" She smiled down at him.  
"Be patient, dear. You'll see in a few minutes."  
Katal pouted. "I can't be patient!"  
Meleina set the box down next to his other gifts and shooed him away. "Run along and play, Katal. Look- there's Trunks and Goten."  
"They'll just ignore me, Auntie Meleina!" He looked at her box hopefully.  
"Then go play with Matrian."  
Katal's eyes shot open wide. "Yay, Matrian came!" He ran off to greet his tan wolf friend, and Meleina shook her head happily. Socha came over and gave her a curious look.  
"So, what did you get him?"  
Meleina smiled mysteriously. "You'll just have to wait and see. I'll tell you this- Adlteau won't be too happy with me, but Katal will."  
Socha grinned. "Now you've got me excited, too!"  
Adlteau came over upon hearing his name and gave Meleina a brief hug. "What did you do to get my son so riled up?"  
Meleina laughed easily. "Just refused to tell him what's in the box."  
"Meleina says you're going to get mad at her."  
Suddenly, Trunks and Goten raced up. "Can Katal open up his presents now?"  
Meleina winked at Socha. "Everyone likes a party. Especially when presents are involved."  
Socha smirked, then said to the two boys, "Better hurry up and get him, then."  
They turned and hurried off to fetch Katal. The kids came running up, laughing, and Meleina smiled at the excited look on Katal's face.  
"This is gonna be so great!" he said, then reached for Meleina's box.  
Vegeta curled his lip. "Perhaps you ought to open something else first," he growled, glaring at Meleina, who shrugged.  
"Not a bad idea." She glanced fiendishly at Adlteau. "Besides, I think I'd like to live for another couple of minutes." She settled down between Socha and Goku, and waited calmly as Katal opened all his gifts. Meleina wasn't the least bit surprised by what he received- mostly toys, although Vegeta gave him weights to train with. He almost blasted her when she laughed loudly and pointed out that Katal wasn't much into fighting, and it didn't help the situation any that Katal whispered too loudly, "Uncle Vegeta sure gave me a weird present."  
Finally, the moment came when he reached Meleina's gift. She held her breath as he opened the package, and suddenly reflected on her own family. She had planned on giving her children a pet of their own to play with, but she had never been able to. They had died days before she was going to take them to the city, and she was eager and frightened to see how Katal would react to her gift.  
He opened the box delicately and pulled out the silver and black striped kitten. "Ooh, Auntie Meleina! He's gorgeous!" Meleina relaxed slightly and smiled.  
"A cat," Adlteau said flatly. "You got him a cat."  
"Do you have something against cats?" Gohan asked curiously.  
"Adlteau is a lizard at heart," Meleina teased. "Cats like to chase and eat lizards."  
While sitting, he drew himself up and glared at her. "Excuse me, I am a dragon."  
"Lizard, dragon, same difference." She patted his arm. "Don't worry, Korishico isn't too happy with me, either."  
Socha looked at Meleina. "I think it's a near perfect gift." She glanced down at Katal. "You'd better take care of that cat, hear me?"  
"Um, sure, Mom," Katal replied disinterestedly. Meleina chuckled. Matrian sniffed curiously at the kitten, then yipped in surprise as the tiny tom scratched his nose.  
"What are you going to name him?" Goten asked curiously.  
"I dunno," Katal remarked. "I'll have to think about it."  
The day after Katal's birthday, Korishico went to visit Socha. Adlteau opened the door and let the wolf in.  
"You're here awfully early. Come to rid my house of that stupid cat?" Adlteau asked hopefully.  
"No, actually, I need to talk to you and Socha." Socha came into the room holding the striped kitten. Korishico curled his lip, but forced himself to ignore the furball.  
"Oh, good morning, Korishico! What's going on?"  
The wolf strode into the kitchen, Socha and Adlteau following curiously behind him. "As I'm sure you've noticed, Meleina is extremely moody-"  
Adlteau snorted. "That's an understatement." Socha smiled in agreement.  
"I found out why yesterday."  
"Why what?" Katal yawned, walking in the room and taking his pet from Socha's arms. "Morning Kawly."  
"Quiet Katal," Adlteau said lightly. "We're having an important conversation."  
The boy looked up. "About Aunt Meleina?"  
The adults nodded, and Korishico continued, "A few years back, on Fhotherite, Meleina's family was killed. She had a husband and three children who were murdered the night you met her."  
Socha put a hand to her mouth. "Oh, poor Meleina! So that's why she went Oozaru!"  
Adlteau set a hand on his wife's shoulder. "Why are you telling us this?"  
Korishico cleared his throat. "She's got a Dragon Ball..."  
"You want to collect the rest!" Katal blurted.  
Korishico smiled toothily. "Yes. I want to give Meleina her family back. You can't tell anyone, Katal. Not even Trunks and Goten."  
"Especially not Trunks and Goten," Socha added sternly.  
"Don't worry, Mom," Katal said. "Oh, wait a second. Trunks and Goten have two of the Dragon Balls..."  
"We'll worry about it later," she said gently, then looked up at Korishico. "This is very kind of you."  
"I just don't want Meleina to be unhappy anymore."  
"Who all are you telling?" Adlteau asked.  
"Everyone but the kids," he said, shooting a sharp look at Katal.  
"Hey!" the boy said, growing angry. "I promised I wouldn't tell anybody, and I'm not going to!"  
The wolf sighed. "I certainly hope you don't tell anyone. This is going to be a big surprise."  
"And Auntie Meleina will be happy again, and I'll have more kids to play with!" Katal said cheerfully.  
Socha looked at Korishico. "How old were her children?"  
The wolf shrugged. "I don't know. Heck, as far as I'm concerned, it doesn't really matter, as long as she gets them back."  
Socha smiled. "You'd better hurry up and tell the others, Korishico. I'm not sure how they'll react, but I know Goku will be glad to help his sister."  
Korishico nodded in agreement. "He's eager to help out anyone in need. Thanks for your help, by the way."  
Socha shrugged. "Meleina was my first true friend. I owe her something back."  
"She wouldn't agree with that."  
"No. But it's the truth. Meleina...well, she's like Vegeta. She gives without even realizing it, then argues when you try to repay her."  
Korishico grinned. "You think he's going to want to help her out at all?"  
Socha nodded instantly. "They might seem to hate each other...but they really do care. You'd better catch him early, though, or he'll be well into training by the time you get there."  
"I'll head over now. It was nice talking to you, Socha. Take care, Adlteau, Katal."  
"Bye-bye, Korishico!" Katal said cheerfully. "Wanna pet Kawly before you go?"  
Korishico grimaced. "Not especially."  
As if it understood him, Kawly hissed at the wolf as he was leaving.  
"Of course Meleina would get him a cat with an attitude problem," Adlteau chuckled, shaking his head.  
~*~  
Korishico went to all the Z fighters' homes and asked them for their help. They all agreed readily, and Bulma gave him her dragon radar to use. They agreed that he would be the most inconspicuous person to send on a long search, but he convinced Vegeta and Krillin to gather the two closer to home. Goku volunteered to go with the wolf, but Korishico pointed out that it would be rather difficult, considering Meleina lived with Goku. The warrior was disappointed, but Korishico told him that in a little while he could get the Dragon Ball from Goten.   
Once the wolf had told everyone, he headed off to the woods to find Meleina, knowing it would be a while before he saw her again. He was not in the least surprised to find her at the waterfall, as it was her favorite place to spend time. She turned when she heard him coming and smiled.  
"Hey, Korishico. What's up?"  
He shrugged. "Not much. There is one thing, though."  
Meleina frowned. "What?"  
"Well...I've got some stuff to do with the pack...we've got to head out for...well, I'm not exactly sure how long we'll be gone. Could be a month, could be a year."  
"What on Earth could take that long to do?" Korishico bit his lip, but Meleina nodded. "Must be something only for wolves to know, eh?"  
"Yeah, that's it exactly," he said, grateful that she had spoken before he had to make something up. He hugged her. "I just wanted to say goodbye, and to tell you not to worry about me- us."  
She grinned. "You're so self-absorbed, Korishico. All right, I won't worry. I promise."  
He nodded shortly. "I'll be seeing you."  
"Take care, and try to have fun doing...whatever you're doing."  
"Not a problem." He turned and trotted off, leaving Meleina alone by the waterfall.  
After an hour of running, he paused to take a look at the dragon radar. "Mmm...okay, Krillin and Vegeta are going after those two...Goten has this one...Trunks has this one...um...this should be Meleina's...that leaves two. Oh, great. Of course they'd be on the other side of the planet." He sighed and started out.  
~*~  
It was growing dark and Meleina was getting ready to head back home when suddenly a wolf-like figure appeared in the clearing. She tensed, figuring that the wolf was trying to take over the territory, then blinked in surprise as she recognized the wolf. "Rillaao?"  
Korishico's mate trotted up and gently licked Meleina's hands. Meleina pulled out the translator Bulma had made for her so she could understand the wolves and attached it to Rillaao's neck.  
The wolf blinked up. "Have you seen Korishico anywhere?"  
Meleina nodded. "Yeah, he said he was leaving with the pack for some special thing, but he refused to tell me. He said it was a wolf thing, and I wasn't supposed to know about it."  
Rillaao stared. "What are you talking about?"  
Meleina stared back at her friend. "You mean there's no pack business going on?"  
Rillaao shook her body, the wolf signature for no. "The only thing we're all doing is looking for Korishico." The female looked up at Meleina in worry. "You don't think he's in danger?"  
"No, he'd tell us if something was wrong." She bit her lip, then shook her head. "I can't believe he looked me straight in the eye and lied like that! Ooh, when he gets back here, he'd better have a good excuse or he's wolf meat- pardon the expression."  
Rillaao pulled her lips back in the wolf expression of a smile. "I'm sure he's fine. We might go to Socha, I'm sure she knows what's going on."  
Meleina raised an eyebrow. "You're right. You want to come with, or leave it to me?"  
"I want to know where my mate went. I'm coming with you."  
The two women took off for Socha's house on foot. Meleina nearly banged the door down knocking before Katal answered. "Auntie Meleina! Hi, Rillaao! Wow, a surprise visit, yay!"  
Meleina couldn't resist a smile as she ruffled his hair. "Hello, Katal. Where is your mom?"  
"Making dinner! We're having deer and rice, and it's gonna be yummy! Kawly's going to have some, too. He really likes rice, even if he is a cat. He likes chocolate, too, but Mom says I can't give him any."  
Meleina nodded absently and made her way to the kitchen.  
Socha turned. "Oh, Meleina, are you here for dinner? Why aren't you eating with Goku?" Rillaao padded into the kitchen, and Socha suddenly seemed to realize what was going on. She turned to hide her face so they wouldn't see the surprise. Goodness, I had hoped they wouldn't figure out something was wrong so fast!  
Meleina glared at her. "Where did Korishico go?"  
"Pardon?" Socha asked innocently. "I'm afraid I have no idea what you're talking about."  
Meleina narrowed her eyes dangerously. "You liar, you know perfectly well where he went."  
"No, I do not," the Saiyan princess replied sweetly. "I have no idea where he is." This way I don't even have to lie to her.  
Meleina stamped her foot, then noticed Katal looking suddenly shy. "Katal, my darling! Do you know where Korishico went?"  
"He said I couldn't tell...oops."  
Meleina knelt down and set her hands on his shoulders. "Dear, I just need to know so that Rillaao doesn't worry about him anymore. And I'm very worried, too, you know."  
Katal wrinkled her nose. "I know that tone! You always do that when you want something but nobody will give it to you." Meleina pursed her lips. "Well, I promised I wouldn't tell you, and I'm not going to!"  
Meleina scowled, but Rillaao looked up at Socha. "Can you guarantee that he's safe?"  
Socha sighed. "Not exactly."  
"What do you mean, 'Not exactly?'"  
Socha shook her head. "I can't tell. I promised. We all did."  
Meleina narrowed her eyes. "'We all did?' As in...everyone?" She smiled. "Fine, I'll just ask Goku, I'm sure he'd be more than happy to tell me."  
She stalked off, followed by Rillaao, and Adlteau poked his head in the room. "Is the hurricane gone?"  
Socha laughed and threw a towel at him. "She took it better than I thought."  
"You mean you thought she was going to start blowing things up, too?"  
"Nuh-uh, Auntie Meleina doesn't blow things up!" Katal giggled. "She's more sneaky."  
Adlteau and Socha exchanged glances. "Yeah, she is pretty sneaky," Adlteau said. "Think she'll get the truth from Goku?"  
Socha shook her head. "Definitely not. He may be sweet, but he's got all the stubbornness of a true Saiyan. If he doesn't want her to know, she won't."  
~*~  
Meleina looked up at Goku with wide, innocent eyes. "I promise I won't tell anybody, Goku, but I have to know! I'm so worried about Korishico, and I just want some way of being able to tell if he's safe, and you're the only person I know will trust me enough to tell me!"  
Goku cocked his head, considering, then grinned. "Well...if you really want to know the truth...you'll have to wait until he gets back. I'm not telling anybody!"  
Meleina growled and threw a pillow at him. "You're not any fun."  
He shrugged, the dopey grin still plastered on his face. "But I can throw a pillow better than that, at least." Meleina snorted and stormed angrily to her room.  
~*~  
The desert was hot and brutal, but Korishico trudged ahead. He was sweating profusely, and knew he was severely dehydrated, but he forced himself to continue. Think of Meleina...think of... He collapsed, flinging sand everywhere. A young man came up on a horse and eyed the fallen wolf. He was soon joined by another, older man. "He is dying," the youth remarked.  
"Yes," the elder agreed. "Pull him onto your horse, we must help him."  
~*~  
Korishico awoke several hours later. The first thing he noticed was that the sun was no longer in his eyes. The second thing he noticed was that he was lying on a hard, stiff mattress. Third, two people stood hovering above him.  
"You're awake!" the young one said happily. "You see, I told you it would work."  
The elder nodded. "And so it did. Greetings, my friend. You have had a hard journey."  
Korishico sat up. "You're telling me. What happened?"  
"You were dehydrated. We saved you." The elder bowed his head slightly. "I am Ardep, and this is Imodeth."  
"I'm Korishico."  
"What're you doing out here?" Imodeth asked curiously. "Hardly anybody ever dares to come this far into the desert."  
"I'm doing a favor for a friend. A few years ago, her family was killed, and I'm searching for these Dragon Balls so I can bring her family back to life."  
"Must be a good friend," Imodeth said, raising an eyebrow suggestively. Korishico shows the tips of his fangs but didn't reply. "So, what are...Dragon Balls?"  
The wolf sighed, then launched into the strange tale about the mystical Dragon Balls. When he finished, Ardep sighed softly. "Indeed. Why have you come here searching for these...Dragon Balls?"  
Korishico dug into his sack and pulled out the dragon radar. "This has an account of where all the Dragon Balls are in the world. According to the dragon radar, there's one somewhere around here. It's just a matter of finding it. Maybe you two could help me."  
"Help you?" Imodeth laughed. "We're supposed to be protecting it so nobody like you...oops, I wasn't supposed to say that."  
Ardep pulled a sword from a sheath, his face grave. "My most sincere apologies, Korishico. Our duty is to make certain that the Dragon Balls never come together again, for evil surrounds them."  
The wolf rolled his eyes. "No, sorry, but evil comes to them. There's a difference."  
"We cannot allow you to have the Dragon Ball."  
Korishico drew his own sword forth. "Here's the bet, fellows. If I beat you at a sword fight, I get the Dragon Ball. If you beat me, then you get the Dragon Ball." I hope he's not too good with that thing.  
Ardep smiled confidently. "A good bet, I suppose. A pity you will walk away from here with nothing- not even your life."  
"Oh, so now it's a fight to the death? Fine. I can deal with that."  
The two warriors raised their swords high. The fighting was brief, Korishico using his massive strength from fighting Meleina to quickly overpower the warrior and send him flying. To his dismay, Ardep caught himself from falling and landed swiftly in the sand. "Is that all the better you can do?"  
"Far from it," the wolf growled back. Their swords locked, and Korishico suddenly found himself focusing all his energy on his sword. It was a trick he hadn't used in many years- a trick he hadn't had to use in many years- but he found himself doing it without flaw all the same. The sword shone brilliantly, and without warning, the enormous figure of a wolf blasted out from the sword and threw Ardep to the ground. The aged warrior lay, nearly dead, and Korishico stood over him. "I believe I have won."  
"Yes. You...have my life. But before you end it, I am curious. How...what did you do?"  
Korishico took the sword in both hands and stroked the blade gently. "This sword has been in my family for many generations, but originally, it was a gift from the Gods. When the Gods gave it to my ancestors, it was to protect our people. My ancestor agreed to use it for good, and my entire family has followed. When we need, we can call upon the power of the Gods and they will help us win our battle."  
"Very...handy. At least...it can be said...that it took the Gods...to kill me..."  
Korishico smiled. "I have won the battle, and I will take the Dragon Ball that is rightfully mine, but I will not kill you. I am a protector, and it is my duty to help, not hurt."  
"Imodeth...quickly...retrieve the Dragon Ball for our friend..."  
The wolf knelt beside Ardep and placed the sword on his chest. He closed his eyes, and began to softly whisper in an ancient language unknown to the planet Earth. After several long seconds he opened his eyes again and smiled at Ardep. "You are healed."  
The old warrior stood up. "Wow, I feel...I feel young! That's some sword you've got there, friend."  
Korishico sheathed his weapon and smiled. "Yes, I know." Imodeth returned, carrying the Dragon Ball. His jaw dropped when he saw his friend.  
"What happened? I thought he was dying!"  
"I was dying...but our warrior friend saved my life."  
Korishico took the Dragon Ball and smiled. "All in a day's work, gentlemen." He chuckled to himself, then placed the Dragon Ball carefully in his sack. "Thank you. It has been many years since I have had a good sword fight."  
Ardep smiled. "I can hardly call it good."  
"Against a human foe, you would be nearly unbeatable."  
"Perhaps," the warrior replied modestly. "But then again, perhaps not."  
Imodeth gave Korishico several canteens filled with water. "This way you don't collapse again. It would be terrible if we had to save your life a second time, wouldn't it?"  
"Thank you," the wolf said with a smile. He headed back the direction he had first came, pleased that finding the Dragon Ball had been simple. He had a terrible feeling, however, that his next stop would be more difficult...  
~*~  
Korishico trembled as he made his way through the humid jungle. Now I know why I prefer nice dry forests, he thought darkly, groaning as his fur clung tight to his body. This is horrible!  
He staggered through the dense foliage, his grip tight on the dragon radar, and finally stopped to glance down at it. "The stupid ball should be somewhere around here..."  
Suddenly, a panther jumped down from nowhere and eyed Korishico hungrily. "Oh, I hate cats!" he growled, unsheathing his sword. The panther snarled at him, and Korishico grinned. "Here, kitty, kitty, kitty...I've got a nice present for you!" The panther snarled again, showing his teeth, and Korishico shook his head. "I'm terrified, you big, ugly, fuzz- what the heck was that?" Korishico slapped at the back of his neck as something sharp poked it, then suddenly froze and yanked the dart out. "What?" he asked, feeling the poison work it's way through his system. He fell to his knees weakly and let the blackness overtake his spirit.  
~*~  
The first thought that ran through Korishico's mind when he awoke was, "I'm not dead?" He sat up and reached for his sword, then grimaced when he realized he didn't have it.  
"Your weapon was taken away from you." He tried to twist his head around, but a deep sense of pain overwhelmed him. "As you can see, moving about only makes it hurt worse. I suggest that you remain still." Korishico showed his teeth, not at all liking the fact that someone else was telling him what to do. He sat up slowly, ignoring the throbbing in his head, and focused on the speaker. The man appeared to be middle-aged, with black hair flowing to his waist and deep brown eyes that blinked curiously at Korishico. "I see you don't listen very well, my friend."  
"Yeah, well, friend, why should I bother?"  
The man smiled and raised a small tube. "This contains the darts made like the ones I used to knock you unconscious the first time. The only difference is that these would be lethal to you."  
Korishico raised an eyebrow. "Where's my sword? And my sack?"  
The man shrugged. "Your weapons were removed from your person so you couldn't threaten us."  
Korishico stood up angrily, but quickly sat down again as a wave of dizziness swept through his brain. "I need those back. I'm on a mission."  
The man raised an eyebrow. "And I care, beast?"  
Korishico stared at the man. "What did you call me?"  
"You are an unnatural beast. I should have killed you when I had the chance." The man raised the blowgun to his lips and blew hard, but Korishico's training with Meleina paid off, and he managed to dodge the dart.  
"Look, I don't want to hurt you," Korishico said calmly, "But I will if I need to. I just want to find the Dragon Ball and get out of here." The man blew another dart at Korishico, and this time the wolf caught it. "You're not going to get very far with these, pal. I've trained with faster folks than you."  
The man glared at Korishico, but he was struck in awe by the wolf's swift movements. "What do you want from us?"  
Korishico cocked his head. "Give me back my sword and my sack. I give you my word that I won't attack you or your people."  
The man dug under the bed where Korishico had been thrown down and thrust out the sword and sack. "You have your weapons. Now leave us!"  
"I want one more thing," Korishico said, digging through his bag. He brought out the Dragon Ball. "Somewhere in the area is a ball that looks like this. Bring it to me."  
"The sacred rock?" he demanded, looking horrified. "You cannot steal our sacred rock! Doom will come to us all if you do!"  
Korishico groaned inwardly. Great, religious freaks of the primitive style. "What if I told you that your Gods asked me to retrieve the ball for them?" he asked, hoping they wouldn't demand specifics for his mission.  
"Then I would ask for proof. Three miracles."  
Korishico cocked his head and shrugged. Miracles for these people should be simple. Korishico nodded. "Deal." He concentrated his energy and forced himself to hover in the air. The man's jaw dropped, and Korishico grinned as he lowered himself to the ground. "That was my first miracle. My second is a bit more difficult." He concentrated his energy into a ball in his hand, and watched as the man took a step back. "That was my second. Do you even need to see the third?" The man nodded fiercely, and Korishico shrugged. "The third involves that ball you've got, as well as my own. Set your ball on the ground." The man complied. "Good, now watch what will happen when I set mine down next to it." Korishico placed his ball carefully on the ground, and both began to glow.  
"Amazing!" the man whispered. "You are truly sent from the Gods. Forgive me for ever doubting you, my lord," he said, dropping to his knees.  
Korishico grinned at the attention. "Not a problem, my good sir. Now, I'll be taking this ball and leaving..." He placed them both in his sack and hurried away from the village on all fours. "And I thought that was going to be hard." He glanced down at the dragon radar, and smiled. "Good, looks like Krillin and Vegeta didn't have any problems getting those two Dragon Balls. Good, we've got the six that Meleina don't have."  
~*~  
He raced to Capsule Corp. as fast as he could, and was pleased to see Vegeta answer the door. Vegeta scowled at him, but let the wolf in. Korishico grinned. "I think it's time to let Trunks in on our little secret, eh? He'll be excited to give Meleina the gift."  
Vegeta raised an eyebrow. "I've been thinking about that."  
Korishico looked up. "Got an idea of how we give them to her?"  
"I asked Socha, and Meleina's birthday is in a week."  
The wolf grinned broadly. "Wow, what a birthday present! I like it...we'll just have to get Trunks and Goten to agree."  
"Agree to what?" The two older men turned and saw both Trunks and Goten standing in the hallway, toys in hand.  
"Did I tell you that you could be in here?" Vegeta said loudly. The boys exchanged glances and turned to hurry away, but Korishico stopped them.  
"I might as well tell the both of you at the same time," he said. "It couldn't hurt any, but you have to promise me that you won't tell anybody."  
Goten looked up. "Is it about Auntie Meleina?" he asked. "And the Dragon Balls? Did you get them all?"  
"What are you talking about?" Trunks demanded, shoving his friend.  
Korishico glared at Goten. "How did you find out?"  
He grinned boyishly. "I overheard Dad and Gohan talking about Aunt Meleina and that they were going to get her family back for her. Then I can have more playmates." He looked down at his toy and grinned happily.  
Korishico scratched his head. "Trunks, you just heard the whole story. Are you both willing to give up your Dragon Balls so Meleina can get her wish?"  
"Yup!" Goten said cheerfully.  
Trunks frowned thoughtfully, but nodded quickly at a glare from Vegeta.  
"Excellent!" Korishico said. "I just have to go talk to Krillin. I can't believe how well this has turned out!"  
~*~  
The sky was turning a deep red with the sunset when they celebrated Meleina's birthday. Five gifts lay piled on the ground, each looking identical. Meleina shook her head. "You really shouldn't have done this for me," she grumbled.  
"You're only getting five because we all worked our tails off just to get these for you. You hear that? We worked our tails off!" Korishico laughed and gestured to his tail, which was missing a few tufts of fur.  
Meleina chuckled, then reached for the first one. She took her time, savoring each moment of opening the gifts her friends had spent much time thinking about. She unwrapped it carefully, then lightly stuffed the trash in a bag for later disposal. She opened the box, then gasped in surprise as she pulled out two Dragon Balls.  
"Those are from me and Goten," Trunks explained. She smiled at them.  
"Thank you very much, guys. I really appreciate it."  
The boys exchanged glances and Goten gave a satisfied nod. Meleina reached for the next box, and Goku grinned. "That one's from me, Gohan, and Chi-Chi."  
Meleina unwrapped it, then suddenly dropped her gift. Another Dragon Ball fell out. I have four now, she thought excitedly, then looked at the rest of the boxes quickly, having a sudden sense of knowing what was inside them. She quickly opened the next two, pulling out Dragon Balls with little surprise. One more left! She thought happily. One more and I can make my wish! She glanced at Korishico.  
"The last one is mine," he said calmly. "Go ahead, open it.  
She bit her lip, then sent him a silent look of thanks, knowing this had been his idea entirely. Meleina tore the wrapping off and pulled out a small Koosh ball. She held it up and looked at Korishico.  
"Sorry, I couldn't find the real thing," he apologized, then suddenly burst into laughter. "Alright, I admit it, I have a terrible poker face." He pulled out a Dragon Ball from behind his back. "I didn't wrap it, though. Hope you don't mind."  
Meleina took it and placed it next to the other six, then turned to go get her own. She was surprised to find Vegeta coming out of the house, her Dragon Ball in his hand. She frowned at him, angry that he had gone into her room, but took it as if holding a precious gem.  
She set it down next to the other Dragon Balls and smiled as they glowed.  
"Go ahead, make your wish," Goku said excitedly.  
"Before I do," Meleina said tentatively, "I want to thank you all for being so kind. I...I received the best gifts of my life today- and no, I'm not talking about the Dragon Balls."  
"You're talking about what you'll get after you make your wish?" Korishico asked with false innocence, drawing a chuckle from the adults. Goten, Trunks, and Katal exchanged blank looks.  
Meleina smirked. "That too. But moreover, I meant that I realized I honestly have the best of friends. And the only thing that would make this life perfect is adding my own family to it."  
She took a deep breath, then called upon the Eternal Dragon.  
Meleina looked vaguely frightened by the Dragon, but took a deep breath and smiled at him. "I...I wish for my family...to be returned to life..."  
The Dragon blinked down at her, then said in his booming voice, "Your wish has been granted. Farewell."  
There was a moment of silence, then suddenly an unfamiliar voice cried out, "Mommy!" Meleina spun around and fell to her knees as three young children came running up. They flew into her arms, and she pulled them close, tears streaming down her face. A tall man stood slightly away from the group, watching anxiously but not wanting to interrupt. Vegeta stared at him in deep anger.  
"You slimy-" The Saiyan prince lunged at Kieran, who managed to duck his head down just in time.  
"Whoa, has Vegeta gone insane or something?" Krillin asked, looking surprised.  
"No," Socha said, her voice forcefully even. "That man is a bounty hunter- a murderer of Saiyans."  
Meleina stood up and stared at Vegeta and Kieran, who lay wrestling on the ground. Kieran was obviously no match for the Super Saiyan, and he was quickly being choked to death. "Vegeta!" Meleina said, her voice sharp. "Let go of my husband!"  
The Saiyan dropped Kieran in pure shock. "Your what? How could you marry that...that piece of..."  
Meleina frowned at Vegeta. "Like you're one to talk," she snapped, then smiled at Kieran, who stood up rubbing his throat. He saw her, and burst into laughter, drawing her into his embrace. She buried her face in his chest and breathed his familiar scent. "Oh, God, Kieran, I missed you so much!"  
"I missed you too, beautiful," he whispered back, kissing her.  
"Eew," the kids laughed, and both parents broke apart to look down at them.  
"Oh, come here," Meleina said, and the three raced up to hug her. She scooped Ronan up into her arms and lightly touched his nose. "How've you been in the other dimension, squirt? Taking care of the others, I hope."  
He giggled softly and opened his mouth to respond when Socha interrupted. "Um, Meleina, I think you forgot..."  
"I haven't forgotten anything," the Saiyan woman replied joyously.  
"I think you forgot that they aren't your only family..."  
Meleina turned and stared. "What?" Socha pointed to a group of Saiyans who stood nearby. "Dad!" Meleina blurted, suddenly realizing how much she had missed him. "Mom! Oh, and Raditz, of course. Wait a minute..." She frowned at the group. "What's Taura doing here?"  
Socha shrugged. "Family must have meant your really close friends, too, I guess."  
"So why did Raditz come back?" she asked, curling her lip the warrior. He sneered.  
"So I could get my revenge on all of you brats?" he offered, creating a ball of energy. Meleina stared at it, then burst into laughter. Raditz looked less than pleased and powered up, but froze when Vegeta took a step forward. The two Saiyans eyed each other, and Vegeta raised a hand to blast Raditz.  
"Hey!" Meleina yelled, grabbing Vegeta's wrist. "I get to blast him to pieces!"  
Vegeta shook his arm loose and turned to glare at her. "Why should you get to?" he demanded.  
"Because he's my brother. Is he related to you? No? Has he tried to kill you? No? Then I get the claim!"  
"Find a better excuse!"  
"And what's your excuse for wanting him dead?"  
"I don't need an excuse!"  
"They're like two year olds," Bulma said, and Socha grinned.  
Raditz watched the display between Meleina and Vegeta with half amusement, then suddenly threw a ball of energy at Meleina. In the midst of her arguing, she held up a hand and knocked it aside, then returned to her argument.   
Finally, Korishico interrupted the heated fight. "How about you both just kill him and leave the rest of us in peace?"  
Both Saiyans glared at the wolf, and he shook his head and grinned toothily at Raditz. "I suggest you run as fast as you can."  
Raditz chuckled, but suddenly darted away. "Hey!" Meleina roared, lunging forward. Her mother suddenly reached out and grabbed her arm, stopping her.  
"Don't you dare go after him," she snapped. Meleina's jaw dropped, and she opened her mouth to retort when Vegeta burst into laughter.  
"Listen to your mommy, Meleina," he sneered. Meleina wrenched her arm out of her mother's grip and glared at Vegeta.  
"Shut your mouth, you ugly ape," she snarled.  
"Here we go," Chi-Chi sighed. "It never changes with those two. One little sentence and suddenly they're at each other's throats."  
"Keeps life interesting," Korishico said with a smirk.  
"What did you call me?" Vegeta demanded.  
"You heard me." She raised a challenging eyebrow at him, and Vegeta curled his lip.  
"You arrogant-"  
"That's enough." Socha's voice was quiet yet firm and both her friends looked at her in surprise. "Normally I'd let this go on, but we have company. Oh, and in your fighting, Raditz got away."  
Meleina looked surprised but this news and glanced around. "Oops?" she offered, a sheepish grin on her face.  
"You let him get away?" Vegeta demanded, glaring at her.   
"Oh, so suddenly this is all my fault? Never mind that you were half the reason he got away!"  
"I didn't ask for your opinion."  
"Well I'm giving it to you, loud and clear, and if you have a problem with it, take it up with the complaint department!"  
Taura leaned over and poked Bardock's arm. "What a charming daughter you have. It seems she doesn't know how to respect her betters."  
Meleina's head twitched slightly and she turned slowly to look at him.  
Vegeta snorted a laugh. "Ah, so I'm not the only one to think that!"  
"I'll respect my betters when I find some to respect," she ground out through clenched teeth. Socha cleared her throat, and Meleina shrugged. "I'm done. I've had my fun."  
"So you're my father," Goku said aloud, studying Bardock closely. The elder warrior eyed him.  
"Kakarot."  
Tears welled in his mother's eyes. "Oh, my baby! You're so grown up! And you have children of your own now. We missed so much, didn't we, dear?" she asked, her gaze never leaving Goku.  
"More than I like to think. So, how did you kill Frieza?"  
"Ahem." Meleina cleared her throat. "Maybe we ought to do a real, proper introduction to everybody."  
"I'm talking here," Bardock growled to Meleina.  
She shrugged. "So'm I. And I think you should maybe meet everybody before we get into the war talk. Because once we get into the war talk, we'll never get back out of it."  
Goku gave her his trademark dopey grin. "Yeah, you're right. Once we get started, we can never stop."  
Meleina nodded in agreement. "Yup. Okay, here goes then. This is my dad, Bardock, my mom, and my dad's best friend, Taura. And this is Goku, also known as Kakarot, his wife Chi-Chi, his oldest son Gohan, and his youngest son Goten. Then we've got Vegeta, his wife Bulma, and their son Trunks. Then Socha, her husband Adlteau, their son Katal, and their pet cat, Kawly. Then comes Korishico, and Master Roshi, Tien, Chiaotzu, Piccolo, Videl and Yamcha. There's Krillin, Android 18 (we call her 18) and their daughter Maron. Then there's the tagalongs, Oolong and Puar." She paused, and her voice swelled with pride. "Then there's my own husband, Kieran, and my kids, Ronan, Reine, and Vrail."  
"I'm oldest," Reine said cheerfully. "And Ronan's just the baby."  
"Am not!"  
"Are too!"  
The two children glared at each other, and suddenly Bardock burst into laughter. "Better be careful there, Mel, or you'll have another you and Raditz."  
"It's not Ronan and Reine that I'm worried about; it's Vrail and Reine."  
"They seem like such good kids," Goku said cheerfully. "I'm sure Goten would love for you three to come and play some time. And it'd be good for family get-togethers, too, you know. But I don't think we have enough room in our house for all of you. Or enough food," he added as an afterthought.  
Meleina nodded in agreement. "We're going to have to find a place of our own. Shouldn't be too hard, I thought we'd build something."  
"I'll help," Goku offered. Taura and Bardock exchanged glances at his willingness to help.  
"He's...not normal," Taura muttered softly.  
"I noticed," Bardock hissed back. "But he did kill Frieza."  
Piccolo, with his sensitive ears, heard every word and turned, revealing his fangs in a grin. "You'll have to forgive Goku. He's not at all a typical Saiyan."  
Meleina grinned. "Nowhere close. Too trusting. Too easy-going. Too loveable."  
He grinned back at her, and again Bardock and Taura exchanged glances.  
There was a long moment of silence, then suddenly Meleina's youngest, Ronan, tugged at her leg. "I'm sleepy, Mommy," he whined.  
Her glare softened, and she smiled down at her son. "Of course you are, dear. It's late." She cast a final glance around, searching for Raditz, then patted Ronan on the head. "Bed time."  
"Where are we going to put everybody?" Chi-Chi asked worriedly. "Our house isn't big enough for so many people!"  
"Everybody who was wished back can bunk in my room," Meleina offered. "We'll just need a few extra blankets, and we should be fine."  
It took a while, but Chi-Chi and Goku managed to get everybody comfortably situated. Nearly everybody was asleep, but Meleina lay awake long into the night, tossing and turning. Finally, around midnight, Kieran awoke and placed a hand on her shoulder.  
"Relax, Mel, everything's fine."  
"I don't like Raditz being here," she said flatly. "I don't trust him at all."  
"Meleina, he can't hurt you. You've gotten way too tough."  
There was a moment of silence, then she whispered, "It's not me I'm worried about, love. What if he decides to go after the kids? What do we do then?"  
Kieran laughed softly. "Meleina, the kids would gang together and beat the living daylights out of him. They grew up on Fhotherite, remember? If they can handle life there, they can handle life anywhere." He touched her cheek. "It'll be okay, I promise."  
She smiled suddenly. "You're right. They're strong kids, all of them. Even Ronan."  
~*~  
The next day, Chi-Chi was extremely relieved when Korishico and his pack brought her extra food to cook for the group of Saiyans, and they all ate to their hearts' content. After breakfast, Meleina and Vegeta insisted on going to look for Raditz.  
"We've gotta kill him before he kills us," Meleina told everyone.  
"You just want revenge," her mother argued. "He knows he's no match for all of us, and he'll stay away."  
"That is far from the truth," Vegeta growled. "He probably can't wait to start a fight."  
"No," Meleina said. "Mom's right. Raditz is a coward. If he knows he can't win, he won't fight." She looked disappointed. "Too bad. We should go after him anyway. What do you say?"  
"I'm game," Vegeta grinned.  
"No," Goku said. "If he leaves us alone, we should leave him alone. He's not causing any damage hiding away, and there's no reason to fight him."  
Meleina pointed at her shortened tail. "There's plenty of reason to fight him!"  
"Or not so plenty," Vegeta sneered. Meleina hit him on the back of the head, but the fight stopped there.  
"It doesn't matter what he did in the past," Goku said patiently. "The only thing that matters is what he's doing now."  
"That's the most messed-up theory I've ever heard," Bardock said, startled by his son's peaceful nature.  
"No it isn't," Gohan said pointedly. "If that were true, we'd have to kill most of the people here."  
Meleina and Vegeta exchanged glances, disappointed that they weren't going to get their fight, but understanding the simple logic in the discussion.  
"Fine," Meleina managed. "If he doesn't bother us or anybody else, we'll leave him alone."  
"But the minute he starts terrorizing people, he's mine," Vegeta growled, making a fist.  
"Mine." Meleina glared at him.  
"Don't start," Bardock warned her.  
"You either, Vegeta," Bulma agreed, frowning.  
"Whipped," Korishico mock-sneezed into his hand. Within seconds, both Saiyans had tackled him, tickling viscously.  
  
To be continued... 


End file.
